Banks are accelerating their investment in trade finance technology to unlock growth in 2025, new research from global financial technology leader FIS has revealed.
Despite economic shifts, 55 per cent of global banks plan to increase spending on their trade finance platforms over the next 12 months, according to the 2025 FIS Supply Chain Finance Benchmark Report. Other key priorities for banks in the coming year include improving operational efficiency (28 per cent), enhancing customer experience (28 per cent), and upgrading existing product functionality (15 per cent).
FIS’ latest supply chain finance report is the fourth annual report covering key trends across all trade finance products. The report surveyed 200 banks across the globe and looks back at the previous year’s global growth and impact of geopolitical events, as well as potential market movements to help businesses bring trade matching into harmony.
This focus reflects a broader push toward digital transformation as financial institutions seek to modernise aging systems, with 18 per cent of banks surveyed reporting that their trade finance technology platform is over a decade old.
“From this research, it’s clear that inflexible and inefficient systems are no longer meeting clients’ needs,” explained Matt Wreford, CEO of supply chain finance at FIS. “With geopolitical risk and interest rates having significant impacts on the market, alongside cost efficiency and security concerns influencing decision-making, investment in trade finance technology is now more crucial than ever to help banks transform the customer experience and drive growth.”
The survey reveals that around 52 per cent of banks are investing in in-house development, and 48 per cent are working with external partners. Notably, 19 per cent of banks have now consolidated trade finance transactions onto a single third-party platform.
Expansion remains a key focus for banks
Technology is also playing a growing role in live client transactions, with the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning reported by respondents having surged by 50 per cent in just a year, reaching 45 per cent in 2025 compared to 32 per cent in 2024.
Alongside digital innovation, banks remain focused on expansion, with 80 per cent of the banks surveyed expecting asset size growth in the next 12 months. According to the survey, payables finance has overtaken receivables discounting as the fastest-growing supply chain finance product, reflecting evolving corporate needs.
With these findings showcasing how crucial technology is for the future of trade finance, FIS can offer businesses with technology to unlock how money is put to work.
Steve Sabin, SVP lending at FIS, also commented: “Businesses need a technology partner that can help them grow and meet the increasing demand for supply chain finances. At FIS, we help to streamline the flow of money at work, and bringing Demica’s solutions under the FIS Supply Chain Finance ecosystem provides us with leading technology which can help unlock growth.”
