The answer isn’t just about regulation or technology—it’s about human interoperability.

Why does paper still rule trade?

Most efforts to digitise trade focus on machine interoperability—ensuring that platforms, databases, and standards align so that systems can communicate seamlessly. Initiatives like ICC Digital Standards Initiative’s Key Trade Document and Data Elements (KTDDE)and DCSA’s Platform Interoperability (PINT) are crucial steps in this direction.

But trade isn’t just about machines. It’s about people—who need to read, review, and trust the documents they work with. Paper works because it requires no onboarding, no technical training, and no new tools. It is universally understood, freely transferable, and legally accepted across industries and jurisdictions.

For digital trade to replace paper, it must meet the same standard: a document must be as easy for a person to use as it is for a system to process.

Data presentation: The overlooked challenge:

One of the biggest obstacles to digital adoption isn’t only compliance—it’s also how electronic original trade documents are displayed for humans.

While formats like JSON and XML work well for automation, they do not provide a clear, standardised visual representation that people can rely on. Without a human-friendly interface that remains identical across platforms and devices, trust in digital transactions weakens, leading to slower adoption.

This is why the WYSIWYS (What You See Is What You Sign) principle is a favourable option—ensuring that what a person sees and agrees to remains identical for all parties.

Why PDF could bridge the gap

Every document today starts in a digital format before being printed. Instead of reinventing the trade process, the fastest way to digital adoption is to eliminate the unnecessary step of printing and move directly from digital-born to electronic-original documents.

PDF as a format could be the perfect bridge… if used properly. It provides:

• Human readability – A format that looks and feels like traditional documents
• Machine interoperability – Structured data that can be processed digitally. PDF forms, for example, can link structured data to its corresponding visual location in a document-like format – a capability which is not commonly used today and thus often overlooked.
• Legal compliance – A globally accepted format that supports e-signatures and regulatory requirements

To be clear, PDF as it is normally used today does not cut it for electronic trade documents. It’s not enough to scan a signed paper or use one cryptographic hash secured on the blockchain. But PDF does have more potential, and if used with more advanced features, can help simplify the trade digitalisation journey.

Evolution, not revolution

Rather than forcing an immediate shift to full machine interoperability, the best path forward is a gradual transition. It is possible to keep the current process, but make it digital. Here’s how:

1. Start with human interoperability – Create electronic-original documents in the formats businesses already trust.
2. Integrate structured data – Embed machine-readable layers into these documents to enable automation.
3. Adopt full machine interoperability over time – Once human adoption is secured, scale into API-based and fully automated trade processes.

This gradual transition is key. Contemporary document processes have been established for decades, in some cases centuries, and that’s not something that changes overnight. Markets struggle to make massive leaps, but breaking it down makes it much more manageable. Skipping human interoperability and jumping straight to machine-driven trade is unlikely to succeed—because trust and usability must come first.

It will take time for companies to move from step 1 to step 3 — but step 1 alone already delivers tangible benefits and significant improvements over paper-based processes. Digital, human- interoperable documents offer faster execution, better security, and improved traceability. Since most documents are already born digital, the key is simple: skip the paper and move directly to “digital paper.”

The path forward: unlocking true interoperability

Replacing paper in trade is not just about digital efficiency—it’s about balancing technological innovation with human trust. The key to adoption is not forcing businesses into a fully automated future overnight, but enabling them to move at their own pace. The PDF standard, combined with structured data, allows businesses to do just this: making progress, without costly overhauls or complex onboarding.

Instead of pushing businesses toward a digital revolution they aren’t ready for, we must enable an evolution—one where companies transition to electronic trade using the tools they already understand. This way, organisations can unlock immediate gains without disrupting established processes. Then, as readiness grows, structured data and full machine interoperability can follow.

Digital trade will only succeed if people remain at the centre of the transition. It’s time to move beyond just machine interoperability and also prioritise the most crucial piece of the puzzle: human interoperability.

The post The missing piece in digital trade: Why human interoperability matters appeared first on Trade Finance Global.

After months of starts and stops, threats and retreats, Liberation Day is upon us. The Trump administration’s promised wide-ranging regime of tariffs, a cornerstone of his winning presidential campaign, was set for 2 April. Some countries scrambled to negotiate last-minute deals while others are searching for ways to restructure their supply chains – often by moving closer to the US’ s rivals – all in the wake of what is anticipated to be the biggest unilateral tariff escalation since the 1950s Cuban embargo. 

Amidst the confusion and ever-changing policies, the TFG team has compiled a summary of the story thus far and the tariffs as they stand now – updated live every day.

How did we get here?

Throughout the US presidential campaign last year, trade and tariffs have been at the forefront of Republican messaging, forming a core part of Trump’s plan to revive the US economy. While blanket tariffs – of as much as 60% on US rivals like China – were memorably floated during rallies and speeches, more recent declarations by the Trump administration have focused around so-called “reciprocal” tariffs. 

These unilateral import taxes are meant to “make up for” trade barriers that (the President believes) are being unfairly levied against the US, in the form of taxes, subsidies, regulation, and red tape. This seems to suggest that tariffs will vary wildly between countries and even from one industry to the next depending on their importance to US trade and the level of trade barriers. That the tariffs are, at least, in part, targeted towards ending “unfair practices that have been ripping off [the US] for decades” suggests that negotiation is possible, and proposed tariffs may be reduced or lifted if receiving countries make concessions on US exports. 

Tariff timeline

1 February – Trump announces tariffs on Canada and Mexico

In a series of executive orders, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on nearly all goods from Canada and Mexico, scheduled to come into effect on 4 February. Canadian oil and energy imports would have been exempt from this, instead only being taxed at 10%. In the same set of orders, Chinese imports are set to be subject to a 10% tariff on top of currently existing taxes. 

3 February – Trump delays tariffs after retaliation threats

The day before the 25% tariff was set to begin, the Trump administration reached a deal with Canada and Mexico’s leaders to delay them by a month after the two countries threatened strong retaliatory taxes on American exports. 

4 March – Canada and Mexico tariffs really do come into effect

A month after the tariffs were meant to begin, US tariffs against Canada and Mexico came into effect, as did Canada’s retaliatory levies. The White House also announces a doubling of blanket tariffs on Chinese goods, from 10% to 20%, set to start the following day. 

6 March – Trump delays (some) tariffs, again

Just two days after the US–Canada–Mexico tariffs come into effect, the US once again delays tariffs on about half of goods – those covered by the USMCA free trade treaty – by another few weeks. The full set of tariffs are now scheduled to go into effect on 2 April. 

2 April – Liberation Day

Most tariffs on all industries and all areas of the world are expected to be announced, and some even to go into effect, today. This is likely to affect even countries that have already been affected by some tariffs and those who have long-standing trade agreements with the US. It is also the day that the USMCA exemption, which lifted tariffs on many Canadian and Mexican goods, will run out, leaving the US’s two main trading partners facing steep tariffs that may not be delayed again. 

3 April – Auto tariffs

Proposed tariffs specifically targeting passenger cars and trucks from any country, speculated to be as high as 25%, are set to go into effect on 3 April. 

3 May – Deadline for tariffs on auto parts

According to the same executive order that imposed tariffs on cars, a 25% tariff on auto parts will go into effect before 3 May. 

TFG Tariff Tracker

As information about the new tariffs is released throughout the day, the TFG team will keep updating the timeline and publish summaries of which industries and areas are being most affected. 

The post TFG Tariff Tracker: What’s in store for Liberation Day? appeared first on Trade Finance Global.

• While largely effective, economic sanctions bring problems in terms of compliance and supervision.
• This is a remit where technology, in particular AI solutions, can help.
• There is space for sanctions authorities to innovate more, particularly considering how frequently sanctions are used.

In 432 BC, a messenger sent by Athens to Megara, a nearby rival city, was unceremoniously killed after delivering his message. To retaliate, Pericles, the Athenian leader, issued a decree banning any Megarian traders from Athenian ports and marketplaces: thus, the first sanction was born. Sanctions, tariffs, and embargoes have developed since Ancient Greece, most recently becoming a hot topic in global trade when most Western countries imposed sanctions on Russia after its illegal invasion of Ukraine in 2022. 

Modern sanctions are becoming more sophisticated, and more complex, than ever; on top of straightforward tariffs and embargoes, specific financial tools can be used to cripple a country’s economy and connection to the outside world, such as when the EU and US blocked Russia’s access to the SWIFT financial messaging system in 2022.

For companies operating across multiple countries, some of which may be the object of sanctions, negotiating these barriers while staying within the law in both jurisdictions is crucial. At the Economic Sanctions Summit in London on 20 March, a panel of lawyers and compliance officers discussed how to navigate the most difficult aspects of sanctions and how technology tools like AI can help. 

The strain of sanctions

Whenever a government announces sanctions against another country, it – often correctly – sees financial institutions as the first line of defence, making sure no money goes where it shouldn’t. However, this puts a strain on those institutions in the form of additional supervision, audit, and compliance to adhere to the sanctions – which can often imply a higher workload for compliance and a strain on resources. 

While AI solutions have been hailed by almost every sector for their revolutionary automation capabilities, compliance and audit are where AI’s potential can truly be life-changing. AI tools – which can range from simple rule-based automation to generative AI tools that mimic what a person would do in a situation – can massively simplify and speed up financial institutions’ sanctions screening process. 

To be approved by regulators, however, AI solutions can’t be completely autonomous: a human component, whether as an oversight or double checking the AI’s work, is important to maintain transparency and explainability. “Solutions that run on AI models should be designed in a way that the user of the solution can explain why the solution is making certain decisions […] to internal audit, external audit, regulators, [and] clients,” said a panelist at the event.

Effectiveness vs efficiency: The data problem

The way to train AI, especially generative models, is data – which makes having enough accurate, up-to-date information on past transactions more important than ever. Using narrow data points and applying AI solutions gradually to individual aspects of compliance can help make the first line of defence faster, cheaper, and more efficient. 

A crucial step for companies adapting to shifting sanction regimes is training their staff – both in using and working with AI models, and on the evolving compliance requirements imposed by sanctions. Sometimes, AI-powered tools can do more harm than good, especially if they produce so many false positives that their alerts swamp the teams in charge of reviewing them. Having the correct data can go a long way to increasing the efficiency of those tools without compromising on accuracy.

Compliance teams have other tools to screen clients which have been used for years before AI came into the scene and are for the most part still useful – tools like due diligence procedures, understanding a client and their business, and investigating clients’ ownership structures. However, many in the industry feel that technology hasn’t been used to its full potential, leading to outdated processes that are not keeping up with the development of sanctions. “In the last 10 years, we’ve seen significant evolution in the way the sanctions are used and […] the innovation that’s been tried by sanctions authorities […] hasn’t really moved with that evolution,” said a panelist. 

From compliance to litigation

Another important but oft-overlooked aspect of adapting to sanctions is managing the litigation brought by parties from the affected country against financial institutions enforcing sanctions. Russian firms have been known to sue banks that do not honour their obligations to comply with EU sanctions, leading to a lengthy and costly litigation process. 

The possibility of legal proceedings makes it even more crucial to have a clear view of how decisions about sanctions compliance are made and document every aspect of the process to protect firms against accusations of unfairly flagging transactions. On the flip side, having well-documented procedures can also shield a company that has done everything it could to comply with sanction regulations from legal liability if those efforts ultimately failed. A recent Court of Appeal decision reinforced the importance of this, confirming that if the relevant person of a firm is able to show that they reasonably believe their actions comply with UK sanctions regulations, then that is a defence to civil liability.

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In today’s precarious global geopolitical situation, sanctions are unlikely to go anywhere anytime soon: while they can sometimes be more a precursor than an alternative to more overt warfare – the Athenian sanctions in 432 BC were shortly followed by the Peloponnesian War – they are a crucial diplomatic tool for rival countries. Financial institutions are often at the centre of sanction enforcement, acting as one of the first and last lines of defence. This makes it crucial for their audit and compliance teams to stay on top of developments in regulations and make the most of tools, like AI-powered solutions, to make applying sanctions easier and more accurate. 

The post Sanctions in practice: How the trade industry is adapting to global restrictions appeared first on Trade Finance Global.

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As recent news makes strikingly clear, today’s world is becoming increasingly volatile and fraught with risk. Being part of the trade industry in this unstable geopolitical environment requires adaptability, resilience, and risk management, making insurance more necessary than ever.

At the annual Women in Trade, Treasury, and Payments Conference on 27 February, Trade Finance Global (TFG) spoke to Sanda Blanco, Head of Structured Credit, Political Risks and International Bonding at Howden, about the most important political risks of our time and how bespoke insurance can help businesses thrive in face of them. 

A new world order

While the international geopolitical landscape is inherently volatile, the last few years have seen unprecedented shifts at breakneck speed. From conflicts to regime change and economic shocks, constant change has made it more and more difficult to predict what’s coming next and adjust to it. “I have witnessed this – conflicts, wars, financial crisis – but not all at once with this global reach,” said Blanco.

In the past 20 years, the world has also become more interconnected than ever – meaning shocks in one region quickly send waves across entire industries around the world. The world’s growing reliance on international trade, for example, meant that the Russia-Ukraine conflict had profound consequences on food supply around the world, from Europe to Africa; other conflicts near crucial trade routes or economic shocks in large economies can also have immediate, almost unpredictable effects on countries thousands of miles away. 

This change has effectively led to a “new world order” and caused a decline in trust among nations, institutions, and politicians. Fear of change has increased polarisation – as recent US and German elections show – and eroded trust between people, making the global situation even more precarious.

Bespoke risk management: the way forward

With more unpredictability comes more risk, which businesses must monitor and mitigate to stay afloat. Insurance brokers and underwriters, like Howden, can help by forging relationships between companies and insurers and helping companies find the coverage they need to continue working. 

Howden focuses on long-term insurance, creating bespoke solutions for clients tailored to their specific needs. This means the Howden team must get to know the client, insurer, and the underlying transaction thoroughly to create a solution that addresses the client’s needs and risk appetite. This is what makes the relationships between brokers and clients so crucial, especially in a world where trust is dwindling: only through strong, collaborative relationships can brokers understand the client’s needs and how underwriters’ products can match up with them. 

The future of risk: tech, diversity, and inclusion

As insurance becomes increasingly important, so does ensuring that all companies have access to the right type of coverage. Leveraging technology is crucial to connecting firms to insurance providers, enabling them to find solutions that work for them without having to go through long, inefficient processes. 

Howden has been building a range of platforms to provide businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with specific insurance cover, like a recently announced platform to protect UK firms against renewable energy risks, or two unique digital platforms: Tepfin X, a Lloyd’s of London approved trading platform and a completely new way for its clients to access the Structured Credit & Political Risk Insurance market for their high volume businesses. The aim of this was to overcome the traditional inefficiencies of the insurance market in quoting and placing these business lines, to give clients instant certainty and speed of access to available insurance capacity, which they can leverage to maximise the value of their commercial opportunities and Dynamite, a data management system for Structured Credit & Political Risk Insurance.

Increasing accessibility will only become more important in the next few years as demand for political risk insurance is set to soar. Even though many businesses are slowing down on globalisation, instead resorting to nearshoring and restructuring supply chains to decrease geopolitical risk, global uncertainty remains high. 

This is likely to lead to a boom in political risk insurance, an inherently countercyclical industry: “The safer the world looks like to banks, traders, and investors, the less the clients feel they need to buy political risk insurance,” said Blanco. Vice versa, increased risk means increased demand for insurance cover; the industry’s profits will depend on the insurers’ appetite, capacity, and prices, as well as the different types and levels of coverage they offer. These may need to change over time, adjusting to new risks cropping up globally and adapting to clients’ demands.

Looking inward, the insurance industry must also continue in its progress to include more women in leadership roles: a recent survey found that only 37% of boardroom positions in Europe’s top insurance companies are held by women, and 80% of insurance companies have women make up less than a third of executive teams. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies are doing some of the work in drawing attention to and decreasing the gender gap. 

Some women, however, have taken matters into their own hands: Blanco founded a group for women working in international bonding and guarantees, which grew to have 50 members just a year after its founding. The group lets women in all positions, ages, and areas of the sector meet each other and offer advice and support: “It’s so rewarding to see the impact that your own experiences, the good and the bad ones, can make in someone that is only starting in the sector as a woman,” said Blanco. 

The post PODCAST | Thriving amidst turbulence: The role of bespoke insurance appeared first on Trade Finance Global.

• Embedded payments are seamless, automated transactions integrated directly into a platform or service, allowing users to make payments without leaving the ecosystem.
• The value which they add is growing more apparent as automation becomes everyday.

The role of payments in business is undergoing a fundamental transformation. Once seen primarily as a cost centre, payments are now emerging as a critical revenue driver. Embedded payment solutions are enabling businesses to not only manage increasingly complex payment structures, but also to unlock new revenue streams. 

By seamlessly integrating payments into digital platforms, companies can enhance user experiences,  more effectively support marketplace sellers or platform users, and create more value for their ecosystems. This constant evolution in payment technology is reshaping industries, making these solutions indispensable for staying competitive and driving growth across Europe and beyond.

What are embedded payments?

The value of embedded payments lies not merely in simplifying transactions themselves: various approaches can achieve this end. Embedded payments are about the seamless management of complex payment flows between multiple parties, such as consumers, platform users, and marketplaces. These systems unify diverse financial interactions, whether it’s splitting payments, managing payouts to sellers, or reconciling fees within a platform. 

Essential features of embedded payments

When selecting an embedded payments provider, businesses should look for key features that enhance financial transactions:

1. Seamless pay-in and pay-out functionality: Businesses can manage incoming and outgoing payments in multiple currencies, providing flexibility for both merchants and customers.
2. Effortless KYC and onboarding: Integrated compliance and onboarding processes allow businesses to quickly verify and onboard new sellers, reducing friction.
3. Split payments and escrow services: These features enable funds to be securely divided among multiple parties, holding payments in escrow until conditions are met, and ensuring trust and reliability.
4. Automated dispute resolution and support: Built-in mediation tools help manage disputes efficiently, enhancing customer service and reducing administrative burdens.

For businesses, these capabilities reduce manual workloads, enhance transaction security, and foster customer loyalty. For consumers, they simplify the purchasing experience while offering greater transparency and trust.

Embedded payment solutions go beyond basic transaction processing by introducing advanced automation, security measures, and flexible business models; they support a variety of payment structures; and essentially serve as a one-stop-shop for digital transactions.

Advancements in application programming interface (API) technology and cloud-based solutions have played a crucial role in the rise of embedded payments. APIs allow seamless integration of payment capabilities into existing platforms, reducing implementation time and costs. Cloud-based infrastructure ensures scalability and security, making it easier for businesses to adopt embedded payment systems without major overhauls.

Real-world applications across industries

Across Europe, businesses are leveraging embedded payments to drive growth and innovation:

• Retail: As retail marketplaces expand, the need for seamless payment setups grows. Effective payment solutions must support split payments across multiple sellers while maintaining a frictionless omnichannel experience for customers, both in-store and online.
• Hospitality: Restaurants and service providers rely on platform businesses and ISVs to consolidate operations, streamline management, and enhance efficiency—integrating embedded payments as part of these platforms improves transactions and generates additional revenue.
• Marketplaces: Online marketplaces enable sellers to sign up, sell, and receive payments effortlessly, fostering business expansion.

The future of embedded payments: AI and automation

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are set to further develop embedded payments. AI-powered fraud detection, personalised transaction flows, and predictive analytics will make payment experiences even more intuitive and secure. For businesses aiming to stay ahead, embedded payments are no longer just an advantage—they’re a necessity. As new technologies continue to reshape commerce, integrating these solutions allows companies to unlock greater value from payments.

The post Back to basics: The role of embedded payments appeared first on Trade Finance Global.

Commerce thrives when barriers are lifted, and opportunities are shared. Unfortunately, history shows that progress in trade has often excluded half the population from its full benefits. 

To learn more about gender issues in trade, treasury, and payments, Mahika Ravi Shankar of Trade Finance Global (TFG) spoke with Gwen Mwaba, Afreximbank’s Managing Director of Trade Finance and Correspondent Banking, at TFG’s annual Women in Trade Treasury and Payments event in London. 

Women, particularly those in emerging markets, often face unique struggles that hinder their ability to participate fully in the global economy, such as limited access to education, outdated legal systems, and restrictive inheritance laws. 

Without the right to own property in some regions, securing financing becomes nearly impossible shackling many organisations to their small business status. When businesses remain small because they cannot finance the growth waiting for them, the entire economy suffers.

Mwaba said, “A woman in trade can be a leader of a big organisation, but that’s the minority. The majority of ‘women in trade’ in emerging markets would be the women selling goods in a marketplace or the women carrying cash across the border from one country to another to buy goods that are required in their country.”

Many of these African women engage in commerce as street vendors or cross-border traders, but see their contributions go underrecognised. Many are becoming farmers, turning to agriculture as a viable and promising career. Yet, systemic obstacles persist that the financial sector will have a role in overcoming.

Institutions have begun focusing on the economic inclusion of women through targeted programs. Liquidity solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) provide a lifeline. When credit becomes accessible, business owners can expand operations, hire more workers, and bolster their communities in the process. 

Beyond funding, visibility matters. Placing women in leadership allows young girls to see someone like them in charge, encouraging them to dream big. It also ensures decision-making reflects diverse perspectives and does what is best for the organisation and economy as a whole, rather than just a gender-biased subset.

Mwaba said, “There are a number of unique challenges that are very specific to a continent like Africa. Some of those include things like a lack of access to education for young girls. Boys still tend to be favoured, and many families would rather pay for the male child to go to school than the female children.”

These issues demand attention. Collective advocacy strengthens the case for practical solutions that allow women to thrive in both business and family life.

Trade, treasury, and payments have historically been male-dominated but that reality is beginning to shift as more women enter the sector, find success, and push for broader representation. A big step also comes from recognising that no two ‘women in trade’ are alike, that unique circumstances demand unique solutions.

The next step involves dismantling outdated norms, promoting financial inclusion, and ensuring women are positioned as leaders, not just contributors. The momentum exists. What happens next depends on those willing to drive change.

The post VIDEO | The role of women in Africa’s trade and finance appeared first on Trade Finance Global.

Capital investment can be vital for driving economic development, but on its own, it is rarely enough. True development requires robust financial systems that serve all trade participants and minimise those trade finance gaps limiting opportunities for businesses in regions where liquidity remains a formidable challenge.

To learn more about the power of financing, Mahika Ravi Shankar, Assistant Editor at Trade Finance Global (TFG) spoke with Ankita Pandey, a relationship manager with the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Trade and Supply Chain Finance Program (TSCFP), at TFG’s Women in Trade, Treasury & Payments event in London. 

A significant aspect of ADB’s trade finance initiatives involves research and data-driven advocacy. The bank’s Trade Finance Gaps, Growth, and Jobs Survey, published biannually, remains the only global analysis dedicated to quantifying the shortfall in available financing. 

Pandey said, “It is a survey-based assessment of the significant and growing gap between demand for, and supply of various forms of trade financing”

The insights provided by the survey and its accompanying report help organisations of all sizes and scopes refine their risk-sharing frameworks and inform responses to economic trends and events the world over, such as ESG standards, tariffs, and artificial intelligence. But perhaps most importantly, it provides us with insights into the financing struggles of internationally active businesses.

The absence of accessible financing affects businesses of all sizes, yet small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are well known to suffer the most. Women-led SMEs have it worst of all, facing additional, often systemic, barriers that make it harder for them to secure the funding they need to fulfil expansion plans. 

Despite increased awareness and targeted programs, these disparities persist. Development banks and partner institutions provide financial literacy training and encourage banks to integrate more women into trade finance roles.  

Pandey said, “We work closely with a range of partners and stakeholders to deliver training programs to women-led SME businesses, on entrepreneurship, finance and trade financing specifically, among other relevant topics.”

ADB’s initiatives encompass supply chain finance, risk-sharing arrangements, and AI-driven sustainability tools designed to help SMEs understand and operate within complex regulatory frameworks. 

On the financing side, the bank works directly with local banks, increasing their capacity to fund businesses that might otherwise struggle to access credit. Risk-sharing arrangements with partner institutions push this even further, ensuring trade continues to drive economic development, hopefully, one day without the need for any ADB involvement whatsoever. 

Pandey said, “Our mission is to bridge the trade finance gap by effectively mobilising private sector capital. By including a broader range of society, especially SMEs, we aim to maximise the developmental benefits of trade.”

The post VIDEO | Enabling inclusion by bridging trade finance gaps at ADB appeared first on Trade Finance Global.

At Women in Trade, Treasury & Payments 2025, our attendees answered a series of hard questions. Some were technical, some strategic – but all focused on driving faster, more meaningful progress in our industry.

In our second highlight reel from the conference, more speakers shared their thoughts on removing barriers to inclusion and accelerating change, aligning with this year’s International Women’s Day theme: #AccelerateAction.

A huge thank you to everyone who participated and to those supporting from afar.

Watch the full video to hear how the female leaders in our industry would #AccelerateAction for ESG in trade, treasury, and payments.

The post How can we #AccelerateAction for ESG in trade, treasury, and payments? appeared first on Trade Finance Global.

 
Today’s heightened geopolitical risk environment — characterised by volatility, uncertainty, and a widening range of possible outcomes — has become a more significant driven of operational and strategic risks to trade, finance, and investment than in prior periods. Recognising this shift is propelling organisations to evolve their risk management strategies as they prepare for challenges and opportunities that may arise in the latter half of the decade.

To adapt, organisations should reassess the geopolitical assumptions that guide their risk management decisions and investment strategies. Many long-standing assumptions — such as the stability and security of trade flows — are increasingly in flux. In areas where confidence is lacking, organisations may benefit from new methods to understand the risk environment and inform their decisions.

Marsh’s report shows that certain geopolitical assumptions may no longer hold true and suggests frameworks or methods to take their place across three key areas: 

1. The reshaping of global trade: Shifting global trade dynamics, including trade tensions between the US and China, will likely continue to test businesses with long investment horizons, complex supply chains, or key supplier dependencies continue to be tested by. This report identifies three factors that can enhance understanding at the business and board level, aiding risk management strategies, and investment decisions.
2. Geopolitical risks creating operational challenges: Organisations may encounter operational difficulties exacerbated by their exposure to political risks, including conflict, volatile supply chains, and proliferating trade regulations. The report examines these risks and explores methods to monitor them.
3. Energy transition opportunities, politics, and compliance obligations: The report notes two major climate regulations — the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and the Deforestation Regulation — and the political forces shaping their development. It also considers methods to reduce risks in expanding carbon credit markets and debt-for-nature swaps.

The risks outlined here are not exhaustive. However, businesses that use this report to improve their ability to comprehend, assess, and where appropriate, mitigate operational and strategic risks will likely be better positioned to identify opportunities where others may only see ambiguity. 

Specialist expertise across insurance and risk management solutions, such as that provided by Marsh, can support organisations throughout this journey, helping them thrive in what is likely to remain a challenging geopolitical landscape for some time. The final section of this report—Solutions—provides an initial guide on which solutions may help manage each risk.

One way businesses are managing today’s uncertain geopolitical environment and volatile commodity markets is with optionality, that is, the ability to rapidly pivot to pre-prepared alternative plans in response to changing conditions. However, optionality as a risk management strategy may also impact political risks in certain circumstances. 

For example, exploring a range of extractive projects can provide a business with the flexibility to allocate future funding according to shifting market conditions. However, in countries where governments prioritise extraction regardless of the licensee’s interpretation of market dynamics, this strategy could increase the risk of forced contract renegotiations or license cancellations. In the most high-risk countries, risk transfer solutions may be a more viable option to help protect investors.

Source: Marsh Political Risk Report 2025

Preparedness amid a changing climate regulation landscape

Increased climate compliance obligations, especially those originating from new EU regulations, may present operational risk challenges for organisations. 

Regulations will increasingly require importers to track emissions and sourcing or face penalties for misreporting. In this context, the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will target carbon-intensive imports, while the Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) will prohibit the import of goods linked to deforestation. The uncertainty surrounding the implementation timeline and permanence of climate regulations present additional risks beyond the potentially high cost and complexity of maintaining compliance. For example, the EUDR’s full implementation was postponed until the end of 2025 with little warning after an intense lobbying effort. However, many businesses have already invested in reporting technologies or adjusted supply chains to ensure compliance, and last-minute changes may disrupt some operations or cause financial loss. Meanwhile, CBAM, which is set to take effect in 2026, faces similar lobbying pressure to pare back or delay the regulation, particularly from developing countries with carbon-heavy energy mixes that would be most significantly impacted.

To navigate compliance obligations and uncertainties surrounding the implementation and permanence of these regulations, organisations may benefit from adopting robust monitoring capabilities and developing an awareness of evolving political sentiments.

Source: Marsh’s Political Risk Report 2025

Download Marsh’s Political Risk Report 2025 here.

The post Key findings from Marsh’s 2025 political risk report appeared first on Trade Finance Global.

Uzbekistan, one of Central Asia’s major economies, is placing itself and the centre of growing regional trade by reintroducing factoring services to its banks. On behalf of Trade Finance Global (TFG), Madina Nurmatova, Project Manager at IFC, spoke to Foziljon Ulashev, Director of the Small and Medium Businesses Department at Aloqa Bank JSCB, at the ‘Exploring Receivables and Payable Finance conference,’ hosted by FCI, IFC, and the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan. They delved into the role of the factoring industry in boosting Central Asian trade. 

Factoring: the road to trade

As mandated by a decree announced in August, Uzbek banks are now required to offer factoring services, which allow clients to sell their outstanding invoices and access immediate cash flows. This is crucial for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) wishing to export to neighbouring countries, as it allows them to enter the world of trade while minimising risk, uncertainty, and long waiting times. 

Factoring services provide much-needed lifelines for SMEs, explained Ulashev: “The amount that the clients received through factoring services allows them to ensure the continuity of the subsequent manufacturing processes, to refill their working capital, to increase the scale of production, to make payments to the subsequent entities down the value chain”. Without factoring, businesses will have much longer turnaround times and will struggle to expand their operations or diversify. 

This will not only boost SMEs in Uzbekistan but is expected to have an important impact on trade around the region. Central Asia, a long-neglected area in the shadow of China and the oil-rich Middle East, is having a renaissance as investors look to its large, untapped client base and growing economy. However, regional trade remains much lower than it could be due to poor infrastructure and historically high barriers to trade: moves like Uzbekistan’s factoring push will be key to bringing the region forward and attracting foreign investment. 

Aloqa Bank’s innovation

Aloqa Bank is at the forefront of the growing factoring industry in Uzbekistan, which promises to reshape regional trade finance by reintroducing services that cater to the fast‐paced needs of SMEs. 

With a factoring market potential estimated at almost $2 billion, the new digital factoring service is aimed at unlocking liquidity quickly and efficiently. Factoring provides immediate funding for businesses with tight margins and contributes to reducing recorded debts, increasing the turnover of money within the economy.

Since the decree this summer, Uzbek banks have rushed to improve and modernize their factoring services. The bold regulatory move has encouraged banks like Aloqa Bank to innovate, launching an online platform that allows business clients to submit electronic applications for factoring. The process is entirely digital, eliminating the need for physical visits to bank branches and cumbersome paperwork—a vital upgrade for SMEs operating on tight schedules.

The bank’s online platform is integrated with external systems that automatically review key documents such as invoices, contracts, and reconciliation statements. This technological integration helps determine the payor’s solvency through a scoring analysis guided by pre-set stop factors. The system then decides if the factoring service can be provided, issuing contracts and acknowledgement forms to both the vendor and the payor electronically. As a result, the turnaround time for financing is remarkably short.

“The convenience of factoring services for the business entities is in the absence of a need for additional documents, [the] short time of getting the financing processed, [and that entities are not required to provide additional collaterals,” said Ulashev.

This rapid processing is critical for SMEs that need to secure funds swiftly to maintain production continuity, expand operations, or simply manage cash flow gaps. Factoring services offered by Aloqa Bank come with flexible terms—up to 30 days at a discount rate of 2.5% and up to 90 days at a discount rate of up to 8%. In 2024, the project facilitated about $1.5 million in trade; it is projected that in 2025, over $23 million worth of trade will be financed with this service. 

Switching on digital trade finance

Such aggressive targets align with broader economic reforms in Uzbekistan, aimed at opening the country up to trade and attracting foreign direct investment that will be crucial for sustained growth. The country has been actively implementing market-oriented reforms since 2017, including liberalising the exchange rate, reducing import tariffs, and simplifying business regulations.

The shift toward digital trade finance solutions in Uzbekistan is supported by a broader government push to modernize the financial sector. Initiatives to improve transparency, reduce bureaucratic hurdles, and integrate digital tools into everyday banking operations are part of the ongoing reform agenda. It is hoped this will turn Uzbekistan into the region’s financial hub, leading innovation and providing services to businesses from across Central Asia. 

As the factoring market develops, competitors and fintech companies are also entering the space, driving innovation and further improving service delivery. Although the Central Asian market is still in its early stages compared to mature economies, the aggressive targets set by banks like Aloqa Bank illustrate a clear vision for the future of trade finance in Uzbekistan. With the government’s backing and the increasing digital literacy of local businesses, the new era of digital factoring is poised to make a significant impact on the Uzbek economy.

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The reintroduction of factoring services in Uzbekistan is set to be an important step in increasing regional trade and is emblematic of a wider effort by Uzbekistan to modernise the country’s financial sector and place it as a leader of regional innovation. The digital factoring program by Aloqa Bank represents a critical step in encouraging SME growth and boosting trade. 

With clear government support, robust technological integration, and a focus on maintaining strong business relationships, the new platform is set to play a vital role in supporting national and regional economic growth for a long time.

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