Supply Chain Finance Solutions

Blockchain & Multi-Tier Supply Chain Finance: A Game-Changer for FMCG & Logistics Imagine a world where every supplier in a supply chain, from the mighty manufacturers to the often-forgotten sub-suppliers, gets paid on time, no questions asked. Sounds utopian? Enter blockchain, the superhero of transparency & trust, swooping in to rescue the underdogs of supply chain with multi-tier supply chain finance (MTSCF). MTSCF is like a relay race where each participant gets their medal right after handing off the baton, without waiting for the finish line. Blockchain acts as the referee, stopwatch, and medal distributor, ensuring no one cheats, no invoices are duplicated & payments arrive on time. FMCG: From Farm to Fork with fewer headaches Take Unilever, for example. Their tea supply chain includes smallholder farmers, who usually end up sipping bitter brews of delayed payments. By introducing blockchain, Unilever turned the process into a seamless tea party. Every tea leaf’s journey from farm to factory is tracked on an immutable ledger. Banks, seeing verified data, financed farmers, ensuring they weren’t stuck waiting for their money like forgotten leftovers at a buffet. Nestle’s partnership with Carrefour to track baby food & milk using blockchain. Imagine scanning a QR code on a box of milk & finding out not just its origin but even the cow’s daily schedule. This transparency reassured financiers, leading to faster payments across the supply chain. Everyone is happy - from farmers to supermarket shelves. Logistics: Tracking Containers & Payments with Style - Now, let’s move to logistics, where chaos often reigns supreme. Remember the meme worthy image of the Ever Given stuck in the Suez Canal? While blockchain cannot physically move ships, it ensures smoother financial flows even when ships are delayed. Meanwhile, DHL & Accenture used blockchain to track pharmaceutical shipments. Picture a vaccine shipment arriving at the destination, blockchain verifying every step of the journey, from temperature control to delivery time. Payments to logistics providers - triggered instantly by smart contracts. No arguments, no delays, no headaches. Why Blockchain? Because it turns a messy, finger-pointing supply chain into a well-oiled machine. Blockchain ensures: * Faster Payments: Smart contracts say, “Delivered? Paid!” Simple. * Trust for All: Even the tiniest supplier gets their due, thanks to verified records. * No Funny Business: Duplicate invoices? Counterfeits? Blockchain laughs in their face. Challenges or the fine print - Of course, blockchain isn’t all sunshine & rainbows. Setting it up can be pricey, and getting everyone in the supply chain to agree is like trying to organize a family road trip - messy but worth it. In conclusion, blockchain makes supply chain finance not just efficient but almost…fun? From Unilever’s tea leaves to Maersk’s container ships, it ensures everyone gets their slice of the pie - without the usual drama.

£11T is the projected size of global logistics by 2028 (Statista). However, much of that value is tied up in delayed payments and slow-moving capital. Here's how embedded finance can set the industry's full potential free: In an industry capable of same-day delivery, it's not uncommon for capital to move on a two-month lag. This affects the whole supply chain, creating cash-flow pressure for both carriers and 3PLs (and indeed partners further afield). In turn, this shapes which partners are prioritised when demand peaks. This isn't just inconvenient. It's strategically damaging for 3PL operations. Manual invoice processing provides the first layer of friction: For 3PLs, matching orders, invoices, and PODs is time-consuming. Many turn to self-billing as a workaround, which works brilliantly with long-term partners on contracts. However, self-billing is less suited to on-the-fly collaboration, and it doesn’t solve the bigger cash flow challenge: 3PLs can’t release funds they haven’t yet received. The result is a system in which the majority of 3PLs are unable to settle carrier invoices within 45 days. This means that 3PLs who can, become a 3PL of choice, able to secure capacity with ease even in the busiest of times. How, though, can 3PLs operating under such constraints speed up payment cycles? The solution is already here. Logistics platforms with integrated payments eliminate payment admin. Invoices and PODs are uploaded once, then automatically reconciled against the 3PL’s orders. Non-discrepant invoices can be auto-approved, removing manual checks. Embedded finance then means carriers can request payment release within 60 minutes, while 3PLs stick to their original payment terms. The platform bridges the gap. The transformation is now well underway in the US: Embedded finance transaction value is projected to hit $7T by 2026, nearly triple 2023 levels (PYMNTS Intelligence). 70% of logistics & wholesale-trade payment facilitators plan to roll out embedded finance within 5 years (PYMNTS). And investors are backing it: TruckSmarter, a US-based logistics platform, secured a $50M debt facility (with an option to double it) to expand quick-pay services that are growing 4x year-over-year (FreightWaves). The US market is laying the path for UK adoption - and TEG is leading the transition here. Integrated payments and embedded finance are now built into the TEG platform. The solutions mean 3PLs can remove 90%+ of their payment admin, while getting funds into the hands of carriers within 60 minutes, WITHOUT paying out any sooner. It’s not hard to see that 3PLs who can settle invoices quickly are more attractive to carriers who value stable cash flow. Those partnerships tend to be deeper, more resilient, and more collaborative, leaving the entire industry better off. Is your company using either integrated payments or embedded finance? If not, I predict it soon will. And the sooner you adopt the solutions, the better off you'll be!

I was in the asset management industry for 20 years focusing on how technology can impact alternative asset classes. One of those alternative asset classes that I got obsessed with was trade finance. Trade finance is the money that flows through large supply chains. We started to do some experiments quite a long time ago and ended up building a company prior to Klear Inc called Kountable that digitized and capitalized supply chains for companies when they were selling into East Africa. We learned a lot.  ➡️How to build a transaction schema – this ultimately became the software. ➡️How to securitize assets to investors – we dealt with some complicated & risky transactions. ➡️Which key components are needed – we built this toolkit to help businesses scale. Then in 2022, we had the opportunity to bring this solution back to the United States, supporting innovation and focusing on the industrial sector here. Enter: Klear Inc. We’ve come a long way, now serving mainly growing companies in these 4 industries: ⏺️Energy ⏺️Aerospace & Defense ⏺️Supply Chain Technology ⏺️Mobility & Autonomous Systems We found that companies in these 4 industries face similar challenges: 1️⃣High cost - it’s expensive to build products in these spaces. 2️⃣Long transaction cycles - the procurement process has long lead times. 3️⃣Difficulty accessing money - financing options typically require debt or equity. This is why we’ve built Klear. To bring tech-enabled working capital solutions – without equity dilution or large amounts of debt – to growing businesses to help them serve enterprise customers. It’s been quite the journey. #WorkingCapital  #FinancialSolution #SupplyChainFinance #IndustrialSuppliers #BusinessGrowth #CashFlowManagement #FinTech #B2BFinance

#FinTech | #Payments | #SupplyChain | #CrossBorderPayments : 🚀 Empowering Global Trade Finance Through ITFS Platforms 🌐 International Trade Finance Services (ITFS) platforms are revolutionizing trade finance by offering digitally-enabled, regulated access to global exporters and importers at competitive prices through a bidding mechanism. These platforms streamline trade finance solutions, including factoring, forfaiting, bill discounting, and supply chain financing—making cross-border transactions more efficient and accessible. The introduction of ITFS within International Financial Services Centres (IFSCs) is a game-changer, designed to address the financing gap for exporters and importers worldwide, including in India. With expanded eligibility criteria, the platform now welcomes payment service providers alongside financiers, exporters, importers, and #insurance entities. This allows for smoother currency exchange and faster payment processing in local currencies—saving both time and cost for participants. Key Highlights: (1) Permitted Financiers: Includes factors registered under the Factoring Registration Act, 2011, finance companies/units in IFSC, and others meeting specific guidelines. (2) Regulatory Compliance: All financiers must be incorporated in FATF-compliant jurisdictions with experience in financing or managing assets worth USD 5 million. (3) Capital Requirements: Financing entities must have a minimum capital of USD 5 million to ensure reliability and trust. With ITFS platforms, businesses can unlock new opportunities in global trade while bridging critical financing gaps. 🌍💼 EmpowerEdge Ventures

30% improvement in free cash flow. Zero new revenue. That’s what one B2B electronics company unlocked—not by selling more, but by redesigning their supply chain. Here’s how: → They introduced supply chain financing to delay payables by 45 days. → At the same time, they tightened inventory cycles and improved forecasting. → Net result: 30% more free cash flow. Without raising, without selling. Compare that to a high-growth ecom startup: → Their top line looked great. → But cash was trapped in inventory, and they had no supplier credit. → Payroll slipped, growth halted, and they had to raise a down round at a 40% lower valuation. This is the mistake most founders make. They assume more sales = more cash. In reality, operational agility creates cash flow—and that agility lives in your supply chain. McKinsey & Company found that optimizing working capital through supply chain changes is the fastest way to increase cash flow yield. In Edition 31 of The Exponential Blueprint, we have shown how to build cash flow loops inside your ops. This is how you scale without dilution. This is how you stay investor-ready at every stage

If you're importing from Asia into US retailers, your cash is locked up for roughly five months per cycle. Supplier deposit, 37 days on the water, customs, delivery, then Net-90 from Walmart or Costco. Banks know this. They still reject 41% of SME trade finance applications—not because the credit is bad, but because they can't see enough to get comfortable. It's a visibility problem wearing the costume of a credit problem. When your financing sits inside your logistics workflow—same data, same system—the lender sees your shipment, your buyer PO, and your delivery in real-time. Risk gets priced, not guessed. Rates drop. Approvals happen in hours, not weeks. That's where working capital is heading for importers who want to scale without bleeding cash. 👉 Read the full article here #SupplyChainFinance #EmbeddedFinance #Logistics #WorkingCapital #Importers Asian Development Bank (ADB) McKinsey & Company IFC - International Finance Corporation Global Trade Review (GTR)

Just how are payment solutions offering working capital to B2B buyers and suppliers? As a follow up to my post last week, let’s dig in on the various offerings in the market today. There has been an explosion of fintech lending because large banks and community banks often underserve SMBs due to high onboarding friction and risk adverse underwriting (See data in the comments). 💳 Payment Processors (e.g., Stripe, Square, PayPal) Target: Mostly sellers, especially SMBs and micro-merchants Products Offered: ☑️ Instant Payouts (within minutes) ☑️ Merchant Cash Advances (MCAs) ☑️ Working Capital Loans (via partners or balance sheet) Typical Loan Size: ☑️ $500 to $250,000 ☑️ Repayment often tied to % of daily sales Cost Structure: ☑️ Flat fees or fixed % (6%–15%++) ☑️ Instant payouts: 1.5%–1.75% per transaction Risk Profile: ☑️ Medium-high—based on sales volatility and limited financial history. ☑️ Automated underwriting minimizes cost but increases exposure. Market Growth: ☑️ High—massive growth driven by embedded finance and cash flow demand from digital SMBs. 🧾 AP Automation / Procurement Platforms (e.g., Coupa, Tipalti, Ariba/Taulia) Target: Primarily buyers, with optional supplier participation Products Offered: ☑️ Dynamic Discounting (self-funded) ☑️ Supply Chain Finance (bank/fintech-funded) ☑️ Invoice approval + embedded lending Typical Loan Size: ☑️ Buyer-funded discounting: unlimited (cash on balance sheet) ☑️ Supply Chain Financing via partner: $250K–$5M+ depending on buyer size Cost Structure: ☑️ Discount rate on early payment (1%–3% typical) ☑️ Often rev share with funding partners Risk Profile: ☑️ Low for platforms (not balance sheet lenders) ☑️ Buyer risk if self-funded; financier risk otherwise Market Growth: ☑️ Accelerating, especially as treasury teams get pressure to optimize cash yield and procurement teams seek smoother, more reliable supplier relationships 🧩 Vertical SaaS & Marketplaces (e.g., Shopify Capital, Toast Capital, Faire, Mindbody) Target: Generally sellers, though some also extend buyer credit. Products Offered: ☑️ Embedded BNPL for B2B ☑️ Invoice Factoring ☑️ Revenue-Based Financing Typical Loan Size: ☑️ $5K–$500K ☑️ Often underwritten using real-time platform activity Cost: ☑️ Flat fees, take rates, or tiered rates (~8%–20%+ depending on model and term) Risk Profile: ☑️ High volatility but offset by strong real-time data signals ☑️ Tends to outperform traditional SMB lending in default predictability Market Growth: ☑️ Explosive—driven by embedded finance in vertical SaaS. ☑️ Lower CAC due to captive customer base. Software platforms don’t have to build these capabilities themselves, nor do they need to extend funding from their own balance sheet. As with embedding payments, there are partners that SaaS can rely on to get started, such as Pipe, Kanmon, OatFi and, of course, Stripe Embedded Finance and Adyen Capital. Shout out to Michael Barbosa, Luke Voiles, and Jon Lear

The Future of ERP Is Not ERP. It’s Finance, Embedded. For decades, ERP systems were treated as back-end tools good for storing records, generating reports, and enforcing compliance. But that’s no longer enough. Today’s enterprises don’t just want to record transactions. They want to monetize, finance, and accelerate them in real time. That’s why the recent collaboration between Oracle and J.P. Morgan Payments is a milestone worth paying attention to. ➡️ What would’ve once required a 6-month IT project is now a plug-and-play financial tool within Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP. Take FedEx, for example. By embedding Supply Chain Finance (SCF) directly inside their ERP, they’re now letting suppliers choose between waiting for payment or getting instant liquidity using FedEx’s own creditworthiness. No external portals. No complex middleware. No delay. This is what embedded finance looks like in practice: ERP as the operational and financial nerve center Banks becoming API-first, real-time liquidity providers Businesses unlocking working capital at the speed of a click And it’s not just SCF. From AI-led expense audits to blockchain-backed liquidity tools, Oracle’s partnerships signal a broader trend: ERP is no longer a system of record. It’s a platform of value creation. What This Means for Us As professionals in the Oracle ERP ecosystem, we need to rethink how we design, deliver, and upskill around ERP. ✅ API-ready ERP is no longer a nice-to-have, it's the default. ✅ The next ERP consultant isn’t just tech-savvy, they’re finance fluent. ✅ Implementation projects won’t just be about processes, they’ll unlock strategic cash flow. At OEG, we’re already preparing learners for this future: 🔹 Modules like Subscription Management and Receivables aren’t just transactional, they’re growth enablers. 🔹 Our hands-on training includes SCM, Finance, PPM, and more designed around how real businesses now operate. 🔹 We train consultants not just to configure Oracle but to help businesses thrive on Oracle. The ERP of the future is already here. The only question is are we upgrading our thinking fast enough? ✦ Would love to hear how your teams are preparing for embedded finance. ✦ If you're exploring Oracle Fusion careers, drop a comment. #OracleFusion #EmbeddedFinance #ERPFuture #SupplyChainFinance #DigitalTransformation #SuhasVaze #OEGOne

🚨 𝗖𝗙𝗢𝘀 & 𝗣𝗘 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀: 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲? With economic uncertainty at record highs and supply chain disruptions costing businesses $184B annually, your cash flow strategy could make or break 2025 📊 🔥 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗠𝘆 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲: 💡 AI-powered working capital optimization (beyond basic DSO/DPO) 🔗 Supply chain finance solutions scaling from $7.5B → $15.2B by 2033 💰 Liquidity strategies for navigating the "debt maturity wall" ⚡ 3 game-changing software platforms (featuring Tesorio, HighRadius & Kyriba) 📈 Real Results: Companies using these strategies are reducing DSO by 33+ days while building recession-proof cash reserves Written for: 🎯 Middle market CFOs managing $10M-$1B revenue 🎯 PE firms optimizing portfolio company performance 🎯 Finance leaders preparing for volatile markets The playbook that's helping finance executives turn cash flow from a headache into a strategic weapon 🛡️ #CFO #PrivateEquity #CashFlow #MiddleMarket #PE

About 80% of the business leaders I talk to who think they need capital really don’t. Instead, they need cash flow. This is especially true for small or medium business poised for hypergrowth. Lengthy cash-to-order cycles hamper many of these businesses. If you’re waiting 60, 90, 180 days or more for payment, your company lacks the money to buy the inputs to fulfill big orders and fund operations. In my mind, supply chain financing is the perfect rescue tool. This powerful option unlocks cash flow without adding debt or diluting equity through a capital raise. My latest blog explains how supply chain financing: ·      Adds liquidity to drive growth, almost like adding lines of credit. ·      Avoids surrendering equity to VCs, PEs or angel investors. ·      Gains leverage in negotiating better payment terms with customers But all supply chain financing options are not equal. The right one helps your company achieve scale and enter the global supply chain nearly immediately after joining the platform. Don't let immediate financial challenges hamper your SME's future or your current balance sheet. Read the full blog to discover the right way to position your business for long-term success while keeping you in control:  https://lnkd.in/ey9XGudv #supplychainfinance #alternativeraisingcapital #nondebtequity #supplychainfinancing #privatecapitalalternative