The focus of our eBook is: Past learnings, forward thinking. How $90B+ in transaction data, AI adoption, geopolitical shifts, and a looming talent gap are reshaping trade finance for banks and asset managers.
What’s Inside:
Seven Forces Shaping Trade Finance
01: Macro-Economic Shocks
How the Iran conflict, oil price volatility, and $1.2T in global tariff costs are forcing new planning frameworks for 2026–2027.
02: KYC Reinvented
Perpetual KYC (pKYC) is in the process of replacing outdated periodic reviews. Why event-driven compliance is now the only defensible approach.
03: Data Transparency is Essential
Between Basel III, AI integration, and compliance requirements, banks are being forced to solve opaque data pipelines, or risk falling behind in being competitive and compliant.
04: Untapped Growth Markets
As the global economy changes and evolves, emerging market SMEs, non-traditional corridors, and specialized verticals are where the next wave of growth will be won.
05: Asset Manager Trade Finance Involvement
Asset manager participation has grown 48% in five years. Trade and working capital finance is now a core de-risked, high-growth investment asset class.
06: Talent Gap Crisis
26% of trade finance professionals are nearing retirement. Less than 15% of banks are successfully replacing them. With the right trade finance software, you can scale programs without increasing headcount. AI can be a part of that, but it doesn’t need to take any current jobs.
07: ML/AI: From Concept to Mission-Critical
Over half of financial institutions are already using AI/ML tools. The primary benefits — faster processing, lower costs, enhanced risk management — are practical. GenAI investment has jumped from 40% to 72% of firms in one year.
Platform Data > 2021–2025
LiquidX’s proprietary platform data — spanning $90B+ in transactions — reveals where trade finance is growing fastest, and where the next opportunities lie.
Exclusive Survey > Q4 2025 = Hundreds of GTR Members
Exclusive Industry Insights
72% Firms investing moderately to heavily in GenAI
Up from just 40% in 2024. The shift from experimentation to deployment is accelerating faster than most predicted.
#1: Expanding SME Access. A top strategic priority
The $2.5T trade finance gap represents both the sector’s central weakness and its largest growth opportunity — especially in Africa, Asia, and the UAE.
64% of banks cite staff unfamiliarity with trade products
As a barrier to servicing client needs. ML/AI SaaS solutions are emerging as the primary answer to this institutional knowledge drain.
50% of FIs are already using AI/ML tools
The consensus is clear: AI is fundamentally reshaping the sector. The question is no longer whether to adopt, but how fast.
Get the Full State of Trade Finance Report
Access $90B+ in proprietary transaction data, exclusive GTR survey results, and forward-looking analysis — built specifically for banks, regional banks, and asset managers planning for 2026 and 2027.