In our latest quarterly issue: mapping today’s digital trade finance ecosystems, digitization as the key to bridging the global trade finance gap, initiatives and further calls for digital standards in trade plus much more! + SUBSCRIBE

Industry News & Views

Digital Ecosystems in Trade Finance: An excellent report on digital ecosystems in trade finance, feat. insights on the current state of trade digitization, mapping today's tech landscape combined with survey results on pains, opportunities & adoption outlook (source: TFG). + READ MORE

European trade finance at dawn of digitisation: Nordic and Dutch corprorates & banks could be leading the charge toward a digitized future for European trade finance, amid reports of increased use of digital trade platforms in these regions (source: Finextra). + READ MORE

What will tech-led trade finance look like: According to The Global Treasurer, the streamlining of processes via innovative tech such as AI and blockchain is now making trade finance products more inclusive than ever (source: Global Treasurer). + READ MORE

APAC Trade Facilitation Report 2019: Bridging Trade Finance Gaps through Tech: UNESCAP & ADB release joint 2019 APAC Trade Facilitation Report, with a strong focus on how digital trade facilitation measures can bring prosperity for the region (source: ADB). + READ MORE

Why the global trade finance gap is going to get worse: Coverage on ADB's recent 'Trade Finance Gap, Growth & Jobs Survey,' where 60% of respondent banks expect the gap to increase over the next 2 years, hampering economic growth (source: The Asset via ADB). + READ MORE

Old processes – new tools: Trade and transaction banking professionals argue that tech is the primary solution to more accessible financing and cheaper cost of debt for SMEs, seeing a digital future for what is still a largely analog industry (source: TXF). + READ MORE

SME Global Traders are Banking on Blockchain: A look into the challenges faced today by SME traders seeking accessibility to finance, and the potential role of blockchain tech in accelerating access to trade finance (source: Global Trade Mag). + READ MORE

Trade finance’s blockchain dreams still far from reality: Transaction banking professionals argue for more standardization and regulatory/government acceptance to enable tech such as blockchain to become a standard in the industry (source: Euromoney). + READ MORE

UTN becomes Digital Standards Initiative led by ICC: ICC takes leadership of the Universal Trade Network (UTN), which now becomes the Digital Standards Initiative (DSI), as part of efforts to develop standards to accelerate digital trade (source: TFG). + READ MORE

Electronic bills of lading: How secure are they really?: Our very own Marina Comninos discusses key legal & security aspects of using electronic Bills of Lading (source: Global Trade Review). + READ MORE

Switch bills of lading: According to leading marine insurer, Skuld, the risk of having multiple bills in circulation can be mitigated using eB/Ls, as eB/Ls can be amended while goods are in transit without the need for issuing new ones (source: SKULD). + READ MORE

Trade-based fraud in Asia – a many-headed beast?: A look into recent high profile trade-based fraud cases in Asia, and how trade digitization (incl. blockchain/DLT tech) can play a key role in mitigating ongoing fraud risks (source: Global Trade Review). + READ MORE

Digitisation is helping to deliver goods faster: An overview of recent developments in supply chain digitization, with one commentator positing that digitization will have the impact on supply chains that steam and electricity had on manufacturing! (source: Economist). + READ MORE

essDOCS News

essDOCS enables first fully integrated paperless trade in iron ore: Our CargoDocs solution enabled the first fully integrated paperless trade transaction in ironore, involving RioTinto, Cargill, HSBC & BNP Paribas – combining tech from essDOCS, Voltron & Chinsay. + READ MORE

VAKT expands ecosystem with essDOCS collaboration on NWE barge markets: Announcing our collaboration with VAKT – the energy post-trade ecosystem underpinned by blockchain – in digitizing North-West Europe tank barge trades & beyond. + READ MORE

Sinochem & essDOCS trade digitization workshop held in Beijing: Exciting times ahead as we kick off our joint efforts with Sinochem Energy High-Tech Co. in digitizing energy & chemicals trade in China & the Asia-Pasific region. + READ MORE

Oh, Brexit (and essCert): essCert's Brian Smith gives some much needed words of reassurance amid the ongoing Brexit uncertainty. + READ MORE
 

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