Global Trade Finance Distribution
Connecting trade with capital
Institutional investors want to invest in trade finance but do not always have efficient access to the asset class.
Banks want to expand the distribution of trade assets and the universe of trade finance investors beyond today’s scale. To date, both sides are not yet properly connected, resulting in very limited participation of institutional capital in the trade finance space.
The main innovations in trade over the past 100 years have been linked to standardisation.
The shipping container was the most important development in that respect, significantly reducing loading times and costs, making the worldwide transport of goods dramatically more efficient. The TFD Initiative wants to have a similar impact on the distribution of trade finance assets.
For Banks & NBFI
Driven by leading trade finance banks and NBFI’s, TFD Initiative thrives on the insights of its members and is built to cater to their challenges and opportunities. We develop consensus-built standardised best practices for the wider distribution of trade finance assets.
Industry-driven
Industry-driven initiative that creates the blueprint for global trade finance distribution.
Developing standards
TFD Initiative addresses the business and regulatory issues impacting banks and non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) when distributing or investing in trade finance.
TFD Initiative focusses on common data standards and definitions to address operational inefficiencies, transparency issues, and risks.
Technology focused
TFD Initiative is powered by industry leading technology including Tradeteq's asset distribution platform.
TFDi Leadership
André Casterman is a Fintech consultant, advising clients on payments, trade finance, and capital markets. André spent 20+ years at SWIFT, leading various innovations in the inter-bank payments, corporate treasury, and trade finance markets. During that time he established an institutional partnership between SWIFT and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and created the first digital trade settlement instrument. André chairs the Fintech Committee of the International Trade and Forfaiting Association (ITFA) with a focus on helping banks establish trade finance as an investable asset class.
Members
Members of the TFD Initiative include major global financial institutions and leading service providers.
