Trade Finance Global https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/ Transforming Trade, Treasury & Payments Fri, 02 May 2025 13:46:10 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2 https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cropped-TFG-ico-1-32x32.jpg Trade Finance Global https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/ 32 32 India and Bangladesh impose trade restrictions as global trade war escalates https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/india-and-bangladesh-impose-trade-restrictions-as-global-trade-war-escalates/ Fri, 02 May 2025 13:46:07 +0000 https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/?p=141403 Both India and Bangladesh face exceedingly high tariffs from the US – 27% and 37%, respectively – which led some to hope the South Asian giants would band together and… read more →

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Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

India and Bangladesh have been enacting reciprocal trade restrictions over the past month as political and economic tensions between the two Commonwealth members increase.

Both India and Bangladesh face exceedingly high tariffs from the US – 27% and 37%, respectively – which led some to hope the South Asian giants would band together and strengthen their trade ties. Instead, the relationship is souring, potentially disrupting trade and shipping routes in the entire region.

On 13 April, Bangladesh stopped all land imports of yarn from India, ostensibly to protect domestic producers from foreign competition. The restriction effectively acts as an expensive tariff for Indian imports, as all yarn must now travel via sea or air routes, which is far more costly and may lead to delays as sea routes become backed up due to the excess traffic. 

After the restriction was announced, India withdrew transshipment facilities for Bangladesh on 8 April, citing “congestion”. Since 2020, Bangladesh had been transporting goods, especially clothing, to India by road and using Indian ports, stations, and airports to get them to their final destination in Europe or the US. 

This made exporting much faster for Bangladeshi producers, cutting down transit times from eight weeks to one. Bangladeshi shipment hubs are not equipped to handle the massive volumes of exports that local producers send abroad; shipping routes are made more dangerous by piracy incidents, which have been on the rise since last year. 

At the moment, the effects of the reciprocal restrictions seem to be limited: trade relations between the two countries “are still underway and form a significant part of our bilateral commerce,” said Sudhanshu Das, a regional minister in Tripura, an Indian region on the border with Bangladesh. 

The relationship between India and Bangladesh, marred by a turbulent partition in 1947, has improved significantly over the past decade, with the resolution of long-standing border disputes and the establishment of treaties and credit lines. When Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced to resign after months of unrest, she took refuge in India; the new Bangladeshi government demanded her extradition, which the Indian government is refusing while accusing Bangladesh of “systematically persecuting” Hindu minorities.

India and Bangladesh are important trade partners. India is Bangladesh’s second-largest source of imports, responsible for 17% of all imports; most of Bangladesh’s exports go to the US and Europe, in large part because of the country’s second-largest clothing export industry. Bangladesh is India’s biggest trading partner in the subcontinent, but the trade balance is heavily in India’s favour, with a £6.93 billion trade surplus for the Asian giant. 

The restrictions and likely disruption they will cause serve as a powerful example of the way internal politics and even relatively minor diplomatic spats can have a broad-ranging effect on global trade. This is also a sign that the weaponisation of trade is becoming normalised across the world, and that its tools have expanded beyond tariffs to affect trade routes, deep-tier supply chains, and long-standing trade agreements. 

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Ukraine and US sign minerals deal, establish reconstruction investment fund https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/ukraine-and-us-sign-minerals-deal-establish-reconstruction-investment-fund/ Thu, 01 May 2025 14:58:29 +0000 https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/?p=141398 On Wednesday night, the US Treasury announced the US and Ukraine had reached an agreement on US preferential access to Ukraine’s mineral, oil, and gas resources.  The agreement, signed by… read more →

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On Wednesday night, the US Treasury announced the US and Ukraine had reached an agreement on US preferential access to Ukraine’s mineral, oil, and gas resources. 

The agreement, signed by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Ukraine’s Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko, provides for a “reconstruction investment fund” that will invest in the extraction of Ukraine’s natural resources and its related infrastructure, with profits shared between the two countries after the first 10 years. The document still needs to be approved by the Ukrainian parliament before going into effect.

The deal had been long in the making and has been repeatedly brought up by Trump as a way for Ukraine to “pay back” the US for its extensive military aid. The finalized agreement does not include any requirements for Ukraine to directly reimburse the US for past or future defense aid. 

Instead, the two countries will invest in resource mining; the profits will go into post-war reconstruction for the first 10 years, after which they will be shared between the US and Ukraine. Although the two countries will “jointly manage” the investment fund, Ukraine will retain “full control” over its natural resources, and determine “where and what to extract,” said Svyrydenko. 

Ukraine has extensive deposits of natural resources: it ranks 51st in terms of the world’s largest oil reserves and holds much of the world’s uranium, iron, and natural gas resources. The country is also a crucial source of rare earth metals, a group of elements used in everything from microprocessors for cellphones, to medical technology, cancer drugs, and military guidance systems. 

Right now, the biggest exporters of rare earth minerals are China, Russia, and Malaysia, with most Western countries lacking their own extraction and refinery facilities and thus relying on imports. The EU imports around 40% of its rare earth metals from China, while the US is reliant on China for 70% of its imports, which form the vast majority of its total resources: the US only has one functioning mine and no refineries. 

As the US and China remain locked in a trade war, tariffs and Chinese export restrictions imposed last month will make it harder for the US to source the critical metals. This deal could secure long-term access to natural resources for the US and strengthen US-Ukraine trade despite the past months’ diplomatic difficulties. 

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VOXPOP | Matt Burns on FIs commercialising data https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/voxpop-matt-burns-on-fis-commercialising-data/ Thu, 01 May 2025 09:09:55 +0000 https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/?p=141352 Banks have access to an unparalleled amount of data, and are beginning to service clients beyond traditional financing. Anonymised and aggregated spending data can help businesses make more informed decisions.… read more →

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Banks have access to an unparalleled amount of data, and are beginning to service clients beyond traditional financing. Anonymised and aggregated spending data can help businesses make more informed decisions.

Consider a corporate real estate company that is looking to open a new shopping centre; banks could support the client with data on the most popular geographical locations based on payment propensity. Once the shopping centre is open, banks can provide information on who is shopping there – and when, and even why.

“It’s an opportunity for banks to go beyond banking, and be a real strategic partner for our clients,” said Matt Burns, Managing Director, Transaction Banking Solutions, Lloyds Corporate & Institutional, at the BAFT Europe Bank to Bank Forum 2025 in Amsterdam.

Watch the full video for more.

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How trade credit insurance can drive net zero: The Allianz Sustainability Handbook https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/how-trade-credit-insurance-can-drive-net-zero-the-allianz-sustainability-handbook/ Wed, 30 Apr 2025 15:45:28 +0000 https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/?p=141377 Allianz Trade, the global trade credit insurance provider, released its first trade sustainability handbook yesterday, detailing its progress in reaching its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) objectives and the company’s… read more →

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  • Climate-related risks are growing more severe as disasters grow more frequent.
  • The Allianz Trade Sustainability Handbook outlines the company’s reasons for and strategies towards the goal of net zero by 2050.
  • The problem is worst in emerging markets, meaning investors and underwriters have more trouble funding sustainable projects there.

Allianz Trade, the global trade credit insurance provider, released its first trade sustainability handbook yesterday, detailing its progress in reaching its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) objectives and the company’s approach to sustainability going forward. 

Trade is responsible for 23% of emissions globally, a number that grows every year. However, research by the World Bank suggests that the solution to climate change also lies in trade – while reducing imports would raise emissions globally, trade efficiently redistributes production to the least emissions-intensive country. 

As a result, global trade enablers like Allianz Trade are in a unique position to drive the transition to net zero. As risks related to climate change grow each year – from extreme weather events disrupting trade to global warming-related electricity outages – companies must be aware of the impact of climate change and become adaptable and resilient to it. 

An all-around ESG strategy

Companies which are wide awake to the impact of climate change have been making sustainability a top priority. “Climate change and new societal expectations are reshaping our role as insurer, employer, and corporate citizen,” said Florence Lecoutre, Board Member in charge of Sustainability at Allianz Trade. 

Allianz Trade’s Sustainability Handbook outlines the firms’ sustainability vision, its impact so far, and the road ahead. As part of Allianz Group’s goal of reaching net zero by 2050, Allianz Trade has committed to massively lowering its carbon footprint in the next few years – and has already come a long way, reaching 100% renewable electricity usage in 2023 and reducing greenhouse gas emissions per employee by 60%. 

Allianz Trade is also on the way to achieving a fully ESG-aligned portfolio, by supporting low-carbon and net zero projects and refusing new contracts with high-emission clients like oil and gas companies. This diverts funding from emission-intensive firms and towards projects which align with ESG criteria, accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels. “At Allianz Trade, sustainability is not just an ambition – It is a responsibility embedded in the way we operate,” said Aylin Somersan Coqui, CEO of Allianz Trade.

Transitions through partnerships

As part of its mission to support the green transition, Allianz Trade launched two new products – Specialty Credit and Surety Green2Green – aimed at supporting companies undertaking low-carbon or green energy tech projects. A prospective client’s project is assessed to see if it aligns with Allianz Trade’s sustainability goals; then, “If it meets our criteria, the premiums we earn from this transaction are […] held as investments in certified green bonds,” said Soenke Schottmayer, Head of Commercial – Global Surety. 

Allianz Trade is also collaborating with multilateral organisations to provide insurance to sustainable development programmes. A recent project to provide electric buses to the Baltic region, underwritten by the firm, reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 15% and cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by over two tonnes. 

Meanwhile, a recent partnership between Allianz Trade and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) – the major global development institution providing finance to firms in developing countries – is enabling sustainable growth in emerging markets. 

A £150 million contribution to the IFC’s managed co-lending portfolio programme is helping the IFC expand access to financing for SMEs, women-led businesses, and climate-focused projects.

Emerging economies, and especially their SMEs, are often the hardest hit by the trade finance gap as a lack of collateral and low levels of capital make it difficult to get insurance or access financing. This makes it even harder to find investors and underwriters for green energy projects, which are often vulnerable to political risk and fast-shifting regulations. 

Insuring net zero

While much is said about the global trade finance gap, estimated at £1.87 trillion, the massive underinsurance of trade and assets is just as urgent an issue. An estimated £122 billion globally is underinsured, with the vast majority of it in developing countries, especially in the areas that are most vulnerable to climate-related risks.

Extreme weather events, global warming, and rising sea levels expose global trade to a range of risks, which are only set to rise in the next few years. Allianz Trade is incorporating climate and sustainability factors into its risk-assessment processes, for example, by introducing ESG criteria in country risk analyses. This will both provide a clearer, more accurate picture of the risks associated with projects and investments and encourage prospective clients to work on improving their ESG commitments. 

Starting this year, Allianz Trade will refuse new contracts and stop renewing existing policies with large oil and gas companies without a net zero commitment by 2050, as well as firms involved in the coal, oil sands, and methane exploration industries. 

Trade credit insurance, which protects exporters and importers from the risks inherent to trade like delays and non-payment, is a crucial facilitator of the global economy. By decarbonising their portfolio, insurers can force markets to keep up with the transition to net zero and incorporate sustainability into their practices. 

Pushed by regulations and stakeholders who are becoming more and more aware of the opportunities of sustainability and the dangers of climate change, insurers and finance providers worldwide will follow Allianz Trade’s lead and incorporate ESG into their investment decisions. Net zero is for the benefit of profit incentives, the environment, and the future.

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Enhancing the way we pay: Canada’s migration to ISO 20022, and its numerous benefits https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/enhancing-the-way-we-pay-canadas-migration-to-iso-20022-and-its-numerous-benefits/ Wed, 30 Apr 2025 13:33:24 +0000 https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/?p=141355 Have you ever looked at your bank statement and seen a payment you don’t recognise? If so, you’re not alone. Traditional electronic payments often only include basic information, like the… read more →

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  • Payments Canada is leading the adoption of ISO 20022 in Canada, to help institutions transition ahead of the November 2025 deadline.
  • Key updates include a hybrid address format and a shift from legacy MT messages to XML-based MX messages.

Have you ever looked at your bank statement and seen a payment you don’t recognise? If so, you’re not alone. Traditional electronic payments often only include basic information, like the amount and date, leaving little insight into the payment itself. This lack of detail creates friction for everyone, from individuals managing personal finances to businesses trying to reconcile payments with invoices. 

Enter ISO 20022, the global financial messaging standard that’s set to transform the way we pay by providing richer, more structured data with every transaction. By embedding detailed remittance information, ISO 20022 makes payments more transparent, efficient and useful, not just for financial institutions but for businesses of all sizes and their customers. 

Payments Canada, the organisation which operates Canada’s national payment systems, leads the country’s adoption of ISO 20022 by offering resources, education, training and operational support for Canada’s financial ecosystem. They also manage ISO 20022 usage guidelines for our payment systems in alignment with global standards.

Payments Canada has published updated ISO 20022 message specifications for use on Lynx, Canada’s high-value payment system. These specifications were published alongside a companion document to help financial institutions prepare for changes coming in November 2025. These revised guidelines introduce enhancements, including a new hybrid postal address format developed by Swift’s Payment Market Practice Group (PMPG). 

This hybrid approach combines structured address elements, such as country and town name, with unstructured fields like address lines. It’s a practical bridge that enables organisations to start transitioning toward structured data without requiring an immediate change. Structured address formats will improve accuracy, reduce errors and support critical processes like anti-money laundering (AML) monitoring. 

Another important update is the global shift from legacy MT messages to the modern MX format, which uses XML-based messaging. As of November 2025, the coexistence period of these two message types will end, meaning some MT messages will no longer be supported. Financial institutions, payment service providers and their technology partners are strongly encouraged to prepare for this transition by updating their systems and reviewing how the changes may impact their operations. 

Amidst these transformational shifts in the way we move money, ISO 20022 will embed actionable data into every transaction. As more countries align with global standards, as Canada is well on the way to doing, payments and processes will only grow more swift, fast, and secure.

To learn more about ISO 20022 and how Payments Canada supports its adoption, visit their website and explore their growing library of educational materials

You can also join over 1,900 payment leaders and innovators at The Payments Canada SUMMIT, happening 6-8 May in Toronto. Use promo code SUMM25PCVIP to save $100 off your event pass. 

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Spain blackout highlights fragility of payments systems https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/spain-blackout-highlights-fragility-of-payments-systems/ Tue, 29 Apr 2025 14:14:51 +0000 https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/?p=141341 While most areas regained power late on Monday night, the blackout laid bare the vulnerability of payments systems. Many banks in Spain halted access to point-of-sale terminals, leaving shops and… read more →

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A massive electrical outage swept through Spain and regions of Portugal and France yesterday, leaving millions without access to electricity, mobile, and internet services. 

While most areas regained power late on Monday night, the blackout laid bare the vulnerability of payments systems.

Many banks in Spain halted access to point-of-sale terminals, leaving shops and restaurants without ways to accept card or online payments from customers. The European Central Bank (ECB) extended its delivery versus payments deadline by an hour in a rare move, almost certainly prompted by the outage, as banks’ central securities depositories struggled to reconcile payments made during the day. 

The blackout, which affected Spain as well as the Basque regions of France and much of Portugal, including Lisbon and Porto, was due to an electrical failure in Spain’s power grid, which in turn affected the connections with its neighbors; overall, an estimated 50 million people were affected. 

The cause of the blackout is believed to be a “rare atmospheric event” that caused extreme temperature variations in Spain, leading to an imbalance in the frequency of the national power grid that had knock-on effects on all surrounding regions. Extreme temperature variations, an effect of climate change and global warming, are expected to sweep through most of Europe this week, with the UK experiencing temperatures as high as 27°C in some areas. 

The outage has had little if any economic impact, as critical infrastructure like hospitals stayed mostly unaffected and many businesses stayed open. The Spanish stock exchange remained functioning throughout the outage, opening this morning with a slight gain. However, the widespread, immediate halt in online payments highlighted the fragility of the international payments system and its reliance on underlying infrastructure. 

Spain’s central bank said that by 15:30 local time – four hours after the beginning of the blackout – its national and cross-border payments system was back to normal. However, bank branches, merchants, and individual businesses experienced problems throughout the day as card readers ran out of batteries and ATMs remained inactive. The ECB postponed the start of the delivery versus payment cut-off by an hour.

Spain is one of the most cash-dependent countries in Europe, despite efforts by the governments to encourage more uptake of online and card payments to decrease corruption. If the blackout had occurred elsewhere, the effect may have been even more pronounced, grinding national economies to a halt: the UK, for example, only has 6% of payments made in cash, compared to Spain’s 57%.

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Mineral exploration firm Aterian signs £3.4m trade finance deal to expand African operations https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/mineral-exploration-firm-aterian-signs-3-4m-trade-finance-deal-to-expand-african-operations/ Mon, 28 Apr 2025 15:47:00 +0000 https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/?p=141331 The five-year trade finance facility is expected to help Aterian transition from an exploration-focused company to an operational trading entity, reducing its reliance on equity financing and accelerating expansion in… read more →

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Aterian, a London-listed metals-focused exploration and development firm, said on Wednesday, 23 April, that it had secured a trade finance agreement with a “global commodity trading and financial house” to fund mineral consignments in Africa.

The five-year trade finance facility is expected to help Aterian transition from an exploration-focused company to an operational trading entity, reducing its reliance on equity financing and accelerating expansion in its African operations. The trading facility will be used to fund tantalum, niobium, and cassiterite mining in Rwanda and its surrounding areas. 

Tantalum and niobium are critical raw materials known for their highly corrosion-resistant properties and used in electronics and metal alloys, while cassiterite is the principal source for tin metal. 

Aterian has been expanding its metals and minerals mining operations throughout Africa, with projects in Rwanda, Morocco, and Botswana. Its mission to remain scalable and grow sustainably has seen it prioritise partnerships: a joint venture with Rio Tinto to explore Rwandan lithium mining, established in 2023, is expected to produce results soon and may lead to the development of a combined lithium, tantalum, niobium, and tin mining operation in the country.

Aterian was established in 2011 to find and develop mineral mining opportunities across Africa and support ethical supply chains to support the transition to sustainable energy production. In January 2024, shortly after the Rio Tinto deal, the firm acquired a majority stake in Atlantis Metals, which holds mineral prospecting licenses for silver, copper, and lithium brine in Botswana. 

The firm’s stock on the London Stock Exchange has fallen by 28% over the past year, hitting a one-year low this month. Concerns over its supply chains and its reliance on Chinese imports have worried investors, especially in light of the US’s recent trade war with China and US President Donald Trump’s threats to impose further tariffs on rare minerals. 

The trade finance agreement comes as mineral exploration and trading are becoming global priorities. Trump has repeatedly framed military aid to Ukraine in terms of mineral mining, and the two countries are reportedly in the process of negotiating a deal on rare earth mineral licenses in exchange for further US support. 

Minerals and critical raw materials like lithium, tantalum, and niobium are becoming more and more crucial to the global economy as they are used in the production of microprocessors, quantum processors, and EV batteries. 

The mining and trade of these critical minerals will become increasingly important as new technology, especially quantum computing and AI, continues to grow; they will also be crucial to enabling renewable energy to expand at scale. 

However, their exploration and mining are fraught with geopolitical difficulties: several mineral-rich countries are embroiled in conflict, and many mineral mining companies are vulnerable to child labour and modern slavery accusations due to their complex, hard-to-monitor supply chains. 

Investment in mineral exploration firms, including through trade finance facilities, will become more and more important to supporting sustainable mining as the world’s economy becomes increasingly reliant on minerals’ potential. 

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Will TBML rise with tariff wars? https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/will-tbml-rise-with-tariff-wars/ Mon, 28 Apr 2025 12:36:19 +0000 https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/?p=141321 Tariff wars and protectionism are opening lucrative new avenues for trade-based money laundering (TBML): and traditional compliance models can’t keep pace. Escalating tariffs and tightening economic sanctions have thrown global… read more →

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  • Criminals thrive when the environment they exist within is busy with turbulence.
  • Sanctions and tariffs have led criminals to misdeclare or misinvoice goods and conceal the origins of shipments.
  • AI-driven monitoring could help reduce how long criminals have to act.

Tariff wars and protectionism are opening lucrative new avenues for trade-based money laundering (TBML): and traditional compliance models can’t keep pace. Escalating tariffs and tightening economic sanctions have thrown global supply chains into turmoil, forcing businesses to rapidly shift trade routes and redraw commercial relationships. These rapid adjustments create blind spots that criminals waste no time exploiting.

Historically, waves of heightened tariffs correlate directly with a spike in TBML activity, and current trends are no different. When legitimate channels become restricted or prohibitively expensive, illicit networks thrive. Smuggling rings and fraudulent invoicing schemes proliferate, embedding themselves within the gaps left by fragmented enforcement. And TBML poses a particular problem: it is now estimated to be 10 times more efficient than other laundering methods for moving large sums internationally.

Late 2023 provided a vivid case study: despite sanctions, reports emerged of luxury cars and restricted microchips slipping into Russia through intermediaries in the UAE, China, and Central Asia. Now, with major economies again embroiled in escalating tariff battles, similar patterns are almost certain to repeat, particularly in sectors bearing the brunt of retaliatory duties. If compliance teams continue to rely on outdated detection methods, financial criminals will only accelerate their exploitation of an increasingly porous trade environment.

Governments have responded with aggressive sanctions. The US issued 2,275 new designations in 2022 and added another 2,500 in 2023, a dramatic increase compared to the 743 designations in 2021. While these measures are intended to cut off financial channels for criminal networks, they also encourage more creative evasion tactics. Goldman Sachs has warned that trade policy uncertainty is reducing investment and slowing economic growth, further disrupting supply chains in ways that criminals exploit.

For financial institutions (FIs), the warning signs are clear. When restrictions tighten, criminals do not stop trading. They simply adapt, using TBML techniques to move funds under the radar.

How TBML thrives in a protectionist economy

TBML is a complex and highly adaptable form of financial crime. Unlike traditional money laundering, which involves funnelling illicit money through banks or cash-based businesses, TBML hides dirty money within legitimate trade transactions. Criminals take advantage of sanctions and tariffs by misdeclaring goods, manipulating invoices, and routing shipments through third countries to conceal their origin. 

Classic methods include under- or over-invoicing, disguising high-value goods as lower-value items, and creating fake entities to serve as intermediaries. Trade diversion is another common tactic, where goods officially destined for one country are quietly rerouted to a restricted jurisdiction.

Gold-plated iron bars labelled as solid gold or vast shipments of silica sand that never officially leave a country’s records are just some of the creative methods used to manipulate trade flows. Or take the Black Market Peso Exchange which remains one of the most well-known TBML schemes, originally used by drug cartels to move proceeds between the US and Latin America.

Trade misinvoicing alone accounts for a significant portion of illicit financial flows, with some estimates suggesting it represents up to 80% of capital flight from developing nations. Despite enforcement efforts, FIs and regulators struggle to keep up with the scale and sophistication of TBML operations.

Organised crime groups are highly adaptable. When sanctions block direct transactions, they shift their laundering efforts to less scrutinised markets to stay ahead of law enforcement. China and Mexico are key hubs for illicit trade, with approximately $314 billion and $237 billion in suspicious activity reports, respectively.

Given the effectiveness of AI in generating fraudulent documentation and the increasing use of deepfakes in identity fraud, it is likely that criminals are exploring emerging technologies to manipulate trade transactions. Cryptocurrencies, which have been widely used in illicit finance, also present an attractive tool for obfuscating payments linked to trade-based schemes.

If these technologies are integrated into TBML at scale, they will further complicate detection efforts, making it even more difficult for FIs to identify and prevent illicit trade flows.

How FIs can rise to the challenge

For FIs, TBML presents an urgent challenge. Criminals are too agile for traditional, rules-based compliance models, and the complexity of global trade makes TBML detection difficult without the right tools.

What’s needed is a shift toward AI-driven monitoring, real-time risk assessment, and advanced data analytics.

AI-powered analytics can process vast amounts of trade data, identifying suspicious transactions in real time. Advanced algorithms can detect anomalies in invoices, pricing discrepancies, and unusual trade routes. Real-time vessel tracking enables FIs to monitor shipments and flag irregular movements that could indicate laundering activity. AI-driven pricing analysis helps institutions compare invoice values against market rates, revealing attempts to disguise illicit funds as legitimate trade.

A unified approach that integrates AI, trade monitoring, and regulatory intelligence is crucial. FIs that fail to act risk being left exposed, facing increased compliance pressures and potential penalties.

Already, 87% of FIs are adopting AI for TBML detection, with 91% prioritising automation. Continuous monitoring and AI-enhanced analytics dramatically reduce the time criminals have to exploit compliance gaps. They also reduce the burden of false positives, allowing compliance teams to focus on genuinely high-risk transactions. But adoption must accelerate if banks want to stay ahead of the threat.

As sanctions, tariffs, and economic uncertainty increase, criminals will continue to innovate, forcing FIs to modernise or fall behind. The financial industry must move toward proactive, AI-driven detection, combining real-time risk identification with seamless cross-border data-sharing. Failure to act will result in more financial crime, regulatory penalties, and reputational damage.

FIs risk becoming the weakest link in the fight against financial crime. The time to act is now.

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Apple to move iPhone production from China to India by 2026 https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/apple-to-move-iphone-production-from-china-to-india-by-2026/ Fri, 25 Apr 2025 11:30:13 +0000 https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/?p=141308 More than 60 million iPhones are sold annually in the US. Apple plans to source this from India in its entirety by the end of 2026.  This is a significant… read more →

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As reported by the Financial Times, Apple plans to move all of its US iPhone production to India.

More than 60 million iPhones are sold annually in the US. Apple plans to source this from India in its entirety by the end of 2026. 

This is a significant pivot away from China, where Apple has established its production over decades. An estimated nine in 10 iPhones are made in China – accounting for nearly 200 million devices – and approximately 150 of Apple’s top 187 suppliers had factories in China in 2024.

India is subject to a baseline levy of 10% by the US; the 27% ‘reciprocal’ tariff which it was set to face has now been put on hold until 9 July. 

On the other hand, China has been hit by import taxes of up to 145%, and China has hit back with a 125% tax on American products. Although developments this morning show promising signs of de-escalation – US President Donald Trump told reporters, “We may reveal it later, but they had meetings this morning, and we’ve been meeting with China” – relocating to India may instil more confidence amongst investors.

After Apple entered China in the 1990s, the relationship between the company and the country has been one of reciprocal benefit. As China opened up to the world, Apple grew more entrenched in its manufacturing sector.

In an interview last year, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook said, “There’s no supply chain in the world that’s more critical to us than China.” Both in practice and in threat, tariffs have forced U-turns in manufacturing strategies for many large American businesses.

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African trade war escalates as Tanzania bans all agricultural imports from South Africa, Malawi https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/posts/african-trade-war-escalates-as-tanzania-bans-all-agricultural-imports-from-south-africa-malawi/ Thu, 24 Apr 2025 10:37:59 +0000 https://www.tradefinanceglobal.com/?p=141299 Since Malawi is landlocked, it relies on Tanzania’s ports for international trade. Therefore, its top exports – raw tobacco, tea, legumes, soybeans, and sugar – will suffer, particularly since its… read more →

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Tanzania has blocked all agricultural imports from Malawi, its southern neighbour, and South Africa, Africa’s largest economy. 

Since Malawi is landlocked, it relies on Tanzania’s ports for international trade. Therefore, its top exports – raw tobacco, tea, legumes, soybeans, and sugar – will suffer, particularly since its top trading partners are international (with Germany and India as leading destinations).

The export of fertiliser to Malawi will also be suspended.

South African exports which will be hit include various fruits, including apples and grapes. While relatively muted compared with the impact of Tanzania’s move on Malawi’s economy, South Africa is heavily reliant on exports. Already weakened by 31% tariffs from the US ($500 million worth of South Africa’s $13.7 billion in agricultural exports go to the US), the country may now struggle in the intra-regional reorientation which many other economies are enjoying.

Tanzania has also halted the transit of any agricultural goods through its territory to either country, stymying Malawi’s international importing capability in particular.

Tanzanian Minister of Agriculture Hussein Bashe has justified this policy as retaliatory. Both Malawi and South Africa have embargoes on Tanzanian produce. 

This refers to Malawi’s ban on the import of certain produce, which was apparently designed as a temporary measure: a “strategic move to create an environment where local businesses can thrive without the immediate pressure of foreign competition,” according to Malawi’s Trade Minister, Vitumbiko Mumba at the time.

Tanzania, Malawi, and South Africa are all members of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) regional economic bloc. This may grow fraught with Bashe’s emphasis that Tanzania will begin to act in defence of its national sovereignty.

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