Trade Finance on the Blockchain: 2026 Update
Finance and innovation attorneys Josias Dewey and Samir Patel co-authored the blockchain and trade finance chapter of the International Comparative Legal Guides' (ICLG) Lending & Secured Finance 2026 guide, examining how digital infrastructure is reshaping global trade finance. The authors outline how blockchain, electronic transferable records, tokenized deposits, stablecoins and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) are advancing a more connected and programmable trade ecosystem. They explain that although adoption remains uneven, these emerging technologies are helping reduce fraud, streamline document-heavy processes and enable more efficient, transparent and secure cross-border transactions. The chapter also explores the shift toward hybrid models, where traditional banking systems integrate with digital platforms to modernize how trade data, documents and payments are managed across the transaction life cycle.