Conference Programme

This high-level session will focus on the forces shaping trade across Central and Eastern Europe. Leading economist(s) will discuss how inflation, interest rates and geopolitical developments are influencing trade flows, liquidity and risk appetite. This session will provide a macroeconomic lens to understand the opportunities and challenges for trade finance in a rapidly evolving global landscape.

This session will explore shifting trade flows and emerging corridors beyond Central and Eastern Europe. Heads of trade finance or global transaction banking from Europe, Africa, MENA, Asia and the Americas will share their perspectives on where the strongest opportunities are forming for banks and investors. The discussion will highlight cross-regional dynamics, evolving liquidity patterns and practical implications for trade finance strategies.

C-suite leaders from across the trade finance ecosystem will share their perspectives on the forces reshaping the industry. From global events and regulatory change to evolving client expectations, this session explores how banks, insurers and fintechs are adapting their strategies and operations. Expect candid insights, practical approaches and forward-looking perspectives on where the market is headed – and what to watch out for today.

Finalists for the 2026 ITFA Emerging Trade Financier Award will take the stage to present their most innovative trade finance projects. Each candidate will deliver a five-minute presentation, followed by a moderated Q&A. Attendees can engage directly, ask questions and vote for their preferred project. This session celebrates the next generation of trade finance talent, highlighting practical solutions and fresh perspectives shaping the future of the industry.

This practitioner-led breakout session will explore how banks and market participants actually use ITFA templates and guidance in live trade finance transactions. Through concrete case examples, the session will examine where standard documentation works well, where it needs to be adapted and how institutions deal with practical constraints such as sanctions language, internal policies and jurisdictional differences.

This practitioner-led breakout session will focus on how FX and local currency mechanisms can close the trade finance gap for SMEs. Practitioners will explore practical, scalable solutions, including hedging and market structures, showing how technology and finance can make local currency trade viable in emerging markets.

This practitioner-led breakout session will examine the fraud risks threatening trade finance operations today – from identity fraud and document manipulation to double financing schemes. Using real-world cases, speakers will show how these risks emerge in both traditional and digital trade flows and where conventional controls fail to keep pace. The session will explore how technology is transforming fraud prevention: AI-driven detection, blockchain verification, automated checks and the integration of eIDAS 2 Trust Services and verifiable identity frameworks that establish new standards for digital trust and compliance. Attendees will gain practical insights into deploying these tools to strengthen authentication, enhance due diligence and build more resilient risk management practices for trade finance.

Managing General Agents (MGAs) are becoming an increasingly important source of specialist underwriting expertise and fresh capacity in trade credit insurance. This practitioner-led breakout session will provide a practical overview of how MGAs work, how they differ from traditional insurers and when they can be an effective alternative or complement for banks. Speakers from MGAs, brokers, insurers and financial institutions will share real-world experiences, highlighting the advantages, limitations and key considerations when engaging with MGAs, including counterparty risk, governance, documentation and portfolio management.

This session will explore how trade and structured finance are being applied to emerging sectors, from defence and digital infrastructure to energy transition and critical raw materials. Panellists will share practical insights on where commercial opportunities align with policy priorities, the challenges of financing new industries and how ITFA members can play a leading role in driving innovation and growth. Expect real-world examples, strategic perspectives and actionable takeaways.

This session will explore how the current geopolitical environment is reshaping risk appetite across trade credit insurance and reinsurance markets. Panellists will discuss how political uncertainty, sanctions, tariffs and shifting trade corridors are influencing insurers’ capacity, pricing and product availability and how this is filtering through to banks’ ability to originate and structure trade finance transactions. Drawing on broker, insurer and bank perspectives, the discussion will look at where appetite is expanding, where it is contracting and what this means for short-term and longer-tenor trade finance products.

As ESG standards evolve, banks are looking for practical ways to measure and maximise their social and environmental impact. This session explores ITFA’s Social Return on Investment (SROI) framework from a hands-on perspective. Panellists will share real-world experiences of implementing SROI in banking operations, including the challenges, tools and processes needed to quantify impact, integrate it into financial decision-making and create tangible value for clients, investors and communities.

Supply chain finance is evolving – and not always as expected. This session will explore unconventional structures, region-specific innovations and high-profile failures that are reshaping SCF. Experts will share how technology, new market entrants and creative financing models are unlocking opportunities, managing risk in novel ways and challenging traditional thinking.

This session will examine whether trade distribution is truly poised for growth under Basel IV and more importantly, whether banks view this shift as an opportunity and have the infrastructure, appetite and strategy to capitalise on it. Experts will discuss what is preventing distribution from scaling today – from regulatory friction to operational challenges – and what needs to change to turn predictions into reality. Is this trade distribution’s moment, or are we still waiting?

The networking session is one of the highlights of our Annual Conference, giving participants dedicated time to meet with partners

This session will provide an update on ITFA’s advocacy work on the Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR), focusing on the treatment of trade credit insurance and loss given default. This hands-on roundtable discussion will explain why the current framework significantly restricts the use of insurance in short-term trade finance and how the proposed amendment could materially change banks’ ability to deploy insured structures. The discussion will cover the legislative timeline, the role of policymakers and what banks and insurers should expect in the coming months.

This session will examine the growing regulatory challenges facing supply chain finance in Europe, with a focus on AMLA, enhanced KYC requirements and the Late Payments Directive. This hands-on roundtable discussion will discuss how proposed rules could affect supplier onboarding, deep-tier financing and the economic viability of SCF programmes. Drawing on ITFA’s advocacy work with regulators, the session will explore where the real risks lie, what is being done to mitigate them and how banks and fintechs can engage constructively with policymakers.

With 13 jurisdictions now having adopted the Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records (MLETR) or similar legislation, digital negotiable instruments (DNIs) are moving from concept to reality. This hands-on roundtable discussion will provide an update on ITFA’s advocacy work, focusing on the practical steps needed to achieve legal enforceability in digital trade. Participants will discuss real-world implementation challenges, share insights on jurisdictional progress and explore what the industry needs from policymakers to scale DNI usage with confidence.

This session will explore how trade and working capital assets can be originated where financing gaps are greatest and distributed efficiently to banks and asset managers in developed markets. It will highlight the ecosystem of originators in emerging markets and examine how technology enables scalable, transparent and investable trade finance solutions.

This session will bring together senior trade finance experts to explore how credit committees evaluate complex and high-risk transactions. Focusing on emerging sectors, strategic buyers and challenging markets, the discussion will highlight practical approaches to assessing risk, balancing commercial and operational considerations and making informed decisions under uncertainty. Attendees will gain insights into innovative thinking and lessons from real-world cases that can inform risk management across the trade finance ecosystem.

This session will examine the latest trade finance fraud cases making headlines and moving through the courts. The discussion will bring together perspectives from banks, insurers, asset managers and technology providers to unpack what went wrong, how risks materialised and what the rulings mean in practice. Panellists will explore how fraud patterns are evolving, where controls failed across the ecosystem and how legal outcomes are reshaping risk, insurance and operational decisions in trade finance.