WTO and Development Banks Push to Close Supply Chain Finance Gaps for Smaller Firms

Within that total, supply chain finance in developing economies accounts for $10 billion, representing a two-to-threefold increase from 2024.

Small businesses need dependable cash flow to turn trade opportunities into orders, production and growth. Access to affordable financing remains a barrier for many firms in developing economies, bringing leaders of multilateral development banks and international organizations together in Bangkok on 16 October 2026 to review progress and agree on priorities for further cooperation.

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala joined the roundtable, organized jointly by the WTO and the International Finance Corporation on the sidelines of the World Bank–International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings. Discussions focused on smaller businesses in low-income and vulnerable economies, where the global trade and economic environment continues to shape access to supply chain finance.

Financing Has Grown, but Access Remains Uneven

Supply chain finance helps businesses manage cash flow through affordable funding, supporting their participation in regional and global value chains. For smaller firms, access to that financing can make a difference in their ability to pursue trade opportunities. Direct financing from multilateral development banks has risen from about $35 billion annually before the COVID-19 pandemic to approximately $65 billion in 2026, benefiting low- and middle-income countries.

Within that total, supply chain finance in developing economies accounts for $10 billion, representing a two-to-threefold increase from 2024.

The Bangkok meeting reviewed progress under the 2024 joint statement on Boosting Supply Chain Trade in Emerging Markets. Work since then has included expanding financing programmes, improving legal and regulatory frameworks, developing market infrastructure, strengthening institutional capacity and widening the range of financial products available to businesses.

Okonjo-Iweala stressed that smaller firms need access to finance to seize trade opportunities and contribute to economic growth. Closer cooperation among multilateral institutions, she said, can help close persistent funding gaps and make participation in global trade more inclusive.

Private Investment Needs the Right Conditions

IFC Managing Director and Executive Vice President Makhtar Diop, who co-chaired the roundtable, described supply chain finance as potentially transformative for emerging markets when capital, legal infrastructure, digital platforms and market capacity come together.

His message placed responsibility on development banks to strengthen the conditions in which financing can reach businesses, as well as provide capital themselves. Better regulations and functioning markets can help attract private investors into smaller firms and underserved economies.

Participants explored ways to increase private-sector involvement and broaden access to financing in markets that remain difficult to reach. Discussions covered local currency financing, product innovation, partnerships, capacity-building and greater awareness of available financial products.

These measures are intended to give smaller businesses more financing options and improve their resilience within supply chains. Expanding the volume of funding is part of the task; businesses also need products they understand and can use.

A Shared Task Force Will Coordinate the Next Steps

Participants reaffirmed their commitment to the Supply Chain Finance Task Force under the WTO's Multilateral Development Banks Working Group, which coordinates the institutions involved in the initiative.

Its members include IFC, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Asian Development Bank, the African Development Bank, Afreximbank, the Inter-American Development Bank and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation, part of the Islamic Development Bank Group.

The banks also work with the WTO Secretariat and private-sector institutions, including the International Chamber of Commerce and FCI, the global representative body for the factoring and receivables finance industry.

The Working Group agreed to continue coordinating efforts to expand financing opportunities in developing economies. The next phase will focus on reaching underserved businesses, attracting more private investment and strengthening the systems that allow supply chain finance to support trade.