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Expanding your business internationally can be an exciting and lucrative opportunity, but it comes with many risks and challenges. One of the biggest obstacles companies face in international markets is securing financing for their operations. But you don’t need to worry about it anymore. Fortunately, trade finance provides various solutions to help companies overcome these barriers and succeed.According to a survey by the World Trade Organisation, around 80 to 90 per cent of world trade relies on trade finance. So, let’s discuss some of its benefits.In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the benefits of trade finance and examine how it can help you grow your business globally.
Trade Finance
Reduce Financial Risk
Firstly, one of the significant benefits that Trade Finance can offer is that it helps reduce financial risk. Conducting international transactions is inherently risky due to factors such as currency fluctuations, unstable political environments and many others. But, by using trade finance products, exporters can mitigate some of these risks since they assure that payments will be made on time and in the correct currency.
Improve Cash-flow
Additionally, leveraging Trade Finance facilities allows businesses to improve their cash flow by accessing funding options for international trade purposes. It involves receiving advances against customer invoices to improve cash flow or discounting, where an exporter receives payment at a discounted rate. This may help support pre-shipment working capital requirements, ultimately leading to higher liquidity.
Extend Credit Terms
Another critical benefit of Trade Finance products is that they allow you to extend credit terms whilst managing risk, which makes this practice relatively safe compared to other lending methods. Trade Finance helps you unlock new markets for your business growth and provides increased competitiveness, especially when dealing with large transactions requiring longer payment terms.
Expand the Customer Base
Trade Finance also enables businesses to expand their customer base through financing sales outside their home country because overseas marketplaces require different rules and regulations than those prevalent locally. Forms such as Standby LCs or Performance Bonds secure buyers’ commitments and ease contracts administration giving confidence towards conducting cross-border deals and assuring ultimate success.
Access Foreign Currencies
Furthermore, trade finance also allows businesses to access foreign currencies and take advantage of favourable exchange rates and even allow digital transactions. This ability to manage currency risk and support the cost of goods and services abroad has proven incredibly beneficial for businesses looking to expand their international operations.
Overcome Trade Barriers
Trade Finance helps us overcome trade barriers, especially in countries where importation or exportation restrictions exist. For instance, some national authorities require that all goods imported into the country be accompanied by a Letter of Credit, as you commonly see in trades from Asian markets. So, in such cases, Trade Finance can take all your stress away, and you can easily trade across borders.
Enhanced Company Reputation
Your company’s reputation is bound to boost when it establishes reliable trade relationships with partners worldwide. With the help of trade finance, companies can expand their presence in the international market and get involved in cross-border trade. It offers an excellent opportunity to navigate the global markets, seize opportunities and prove yourself as a global player in your industry.
By leveraging these advantages of trade financing, businesses can tap into a wide range of opportunities that can support their global trade activities. From reducing financial risk to improving company reputation, these benefits lay a solid foundation for exploring the different types of trade finances available.
As we delve deeper into the specific types of trade finance, it becomes evident how each option caters to specific trade scenarios, providing businesses with the flexibility and customised trade solutions they need to thrive in the international marketplace. So, let’s start.
Types of Trade Finance
Trade Credit
Trade credit is one of the most common types of trade finances. Sellers agree to allow buyers to purchase goods and services on credit. The seller often expects the buyer to pay them within 30/60/90 days of shipping the order. To mitigate the risk of non-payment, the seller usually takes out insurance coverage on the buyer. This ensures the seller can still receive the money owed if the buyer does not pay.
For instance, if a company orders a large quantity of inventory from one of its suppliers, the supplier may offer the company a 30-day credit period. If the buyer does not pay, the seller can pursue other avenues for collecting payment, such as charging a late payment fee or using the trade credit insurance money.
Cash Advances
A cash advance is non-secured funding sent to an exporting business before shipping. The cash advance is typically a small percentage of the total transaction amount received by the lender even before he proceeds with the shipment of goods.
Additionally, cash advances are advantageous for the exporter as they offer a quick Smart Routing Payment Gatewaymethod, improve cash flow, and reduce non-payment risk. However, it is a high-risk-financing structure for the buyer since there is a possibility that they may not receive the product or experience delays.
A buyer may even choose to offer a cash advance of 50% of the total cost of the goods to a supplier in exchange for fast delivery.
Purchase Order (PO) Finance
Purchasing order (PO) finance is commonly used by traders, who buy and sell goods with the help of suppliers and buyers. Purchasing Order Finance acts like a bridge, providing the necessary funds to help trading businesses cross the gap between goods acquisition and payment.
It helps create a seamless flow of operations, allowing businesses to continue to buy, sell and grow. This trade finance option is based on purchase orders and helps inject cash into your growing business. Getting credibility within the transaction chain also gives you a significant advantage of a smooth workflow. Purchase order finance and invoice finance usually go hand in hand since an invoice finance lender pays back the purchase order financier once the goods are delivered.
Here’s an example: a trader can get PO finance to pay for the raw material from a supplier and then use invoice finance to receive payments once they deliver the goods to the end buyers.
Term Loans
Term loans offer businesses a sustainable funding source to support trade activities. In this financing option, a lender extends a loan to the buyer for a specified period. The buyer is responsible for repaying the loan and interests in scheduled installments over the agreed-upon duration.
These long-term debt solutions provide stability and reliability for businesses. They are often secured by collateral or guarantees, protecting both the lender and the borrower. However, it’s nothing that securing assets across different countries can pose challenges in international trade and finance. Nonetheless, by utilising term loans, businesses can access sustainable funding to fuel their growth and navigate complexities in the global trade market.
Receivables Discounting
Receivable discounting, a type of trade finance, allows businesses to finance the sale of goods or services by receiving immediate funds from a lender. In this arrangement, the lender provides the buyer with an advance of around 90% of the total transaction cost. The remaining balance is settled upon the delivery of goods and services. This financing method involves the sale of invoices, post-dated cheques or bills of exchange in the market at a much lower rate.
Banks, finance houses, and marketplaces facilitate the sale of these commercial and financial documents, offering immediate payment in exchange for discounted prices. The discount rate is determined based on factors such as the risk of default, the creditworthiness of the buyer and whether the transaction is domestic or international.
How Trade Finance Works?
The main aim of trade finance is to introduce a third party into the selling and buying of goods so as to remove the risk of on-time payment and smooth supply. Trade finances provide exporters with payment as per their agreements. With different trade financing options, you get to choose the one that fits your needs.
Trade finance involves using financial instruments such as letters of credit, documentary collection, and bank guarantees to facilitate the exchange of goods and services.
But how many parties have to get involved in trade finance? Well, here are some:
- Banks
- Trade Finance Companies
- Importers and Exporters
- Insurers
- Export credit companies and service providers.
Overall, trade finance is a significant part of facilitating international trade.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, Trade Finance is essential for any business expanding its operations internationally. Whether you’re just starting with exporting or an experienced exporter looking to grow your sales, leveraging this financing may offer a range of benefits, including reducing financial risk and improving cash flow and liquidity levels whilst ensuring compliance with multiple global regulations. So don’t hesitate any further – if you’re hoping to take your business abroad and secure funding for operations along the way, now is the time to consider Trade Finance facilities!
Trade Finance can be a complex and intricate area of finance. Still, with the proper guidance and support, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) looking to expand internationally can harness their power to unlock new markets confidently. By using the many financial tools available in Trade Finance, businesses can effectively navigate international markets while minimising risk and maximising growth opportunities – a truly winning combination!
