Trade Finance Talks

Any conference, interview, or conversation on the future of trade will inevitably discuss the inefficiencies which need to be addressed before that future arrives. 

Although artificial intelligence (AI) is, by now, ubiquitous, a redefinition of value, risk, and information transmission can be solved by tokenisation. But what do digital assets actually offer in the current context of global trade? And how ready is the present regulatory and cultural climate?

For the final episode of Trade Finance Global (TFG) and Standard Chartered’s five-episode podcast series, Future of Trade, TFG’s Mark Abrams was joined by Standard Chartered’s Kevin Chang, Head of Trade and Working Capital for Hong Kong and GCNA  and Group Head of Trade Digital Assets, and Emily Chan, Director, Trade Product Manager, Digital Assets, to discuss the future of digital assets in trade.

In an increasingly complex and fast-paced global economy, trade finance is undergoing a fundamental transformation, with digitalisation moving from a theoretical goal to an operational necessity. 

As digital technologies become a defining feature of the field, industry leaders are increasingly reassessing what success looks like - a shift driven by a rapidly evolving landscape where traditional benchmarks seem to no longer be sufficient. 

The discussion, hosted by Trade Finance Global (TFG), was convened by Souleïma Baddi, CEO of Komgo, Gregory Lambillon, CEO & Country Manager of ING Switzerland, and Jean-Marc Thijs, COO of ING Switzerland, to reflect on how this transformation is unfolding in practical terms.

At the BAFT’s (Bankers Association for Finance and Trade) Global Annual Meeting, held in Orlando, Florida, in May 2026, these themes were front and centre. BAFT’s flagship conference brought together transaction bankers from across the trade and payments industry in a ‘mini-SIBOS’ where attendees combined bilateral business meetings with sessions exploring the sector’s latest developments.



For the second episode of Trade Finance Global (TFG) and BAFT’s podcast series, Banking on the Future, Mahika Ravi Shankar, Deputy Editor at TFG, spoke with Tod Burwell, BAFT’s President and CEO, to get an insider view on the conference and delve into its hottest topics.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) forms a single market of over 1.4 billion people, making up the largest free trade zone in the world. Rooted in the philosophy of pan-Africanism, the AfCFTA unites the African Union member states as a means to build regional value chains and bolster the continent’s industrial development.

End-user needs are driving innovation in transaction banking, with banks focusing on integrated workflows rather than standalone financial products.


Digitalisation, AI and high-quality data are helping businesses improve liquidity management, automate treasury processes, and enhance operational efficiency.


Banks must embed services into clients' existing systems and workflows to provide flexible, data-driven solutions that adapt to changing market conditions.