How to Get Trade Finance When Banks Say No
Alternative Trade Finance Solutions for Exporters and Importers
When Traditional Banks Decline
Traditional banks are risk-averse and slow. If you're an exporter, trader, or buyer trying to fund a real transaction—and your bank just pulled out—this guide walks you through the private paths still available to close your deal.
Banks often decline trade finance requests for reasons that have little to do with the actual merit of the deal—compliance delays, capital limits, jurisdictional risk, or simply internal credit policies. We help clients bypass these roadblocks by working directly with private credit funds and trade-focused lenders that evaluate transactions on commercial fundamentals.
Whether you’re moving soft commodities out of Africa, importing equipment into a high-risk country, or trying to secure funding against a confirmed offtake, we build fundable structures—then place them with capital sources who can move fast.
What We Do
Structuring & Underwriting
We build the credit file: deal terms, security package, assigned receivables, SPV structures, and facility design—all tailored for institutional lenders.
Margin Financing
We raise short-term capital so clients can issue LCs, provide performance guarantees, or cover margin on volatile trades with fast settlement timelines.
Private Capital Distribution
Once underwritten, we distribute transactions to a matched pool of private credit investors, specialty trade desks, and global lenders with dry powder.
Deals We Fund (When Banks Walk Away)
These are the types of transactions we've closed after banks said no:
- Prepayment facility for West African cocoa traders blocked by local compliance issues
- SBLC required for a crude oil contract where client lacked hard collateral
- Refinancing trade receivables from a high-risk country with confirmed buyer payment
- Advance funding secured by confirmed offtake and partial crop delivery history
How It Works
- Day 1–3 | Deal Intake: Initial review of documents and structuring feasibility
- Day 4–10 | Structuring: We prepare the credit file and lender presentation
- Day 11–15 | Distribution: We approach relevant capital providers
- Day 16–20 | Term Sheet: You receive indicative or firm offers
- Day 21–30 | Drawdown: Final documents signed, conditions cleared, and funds disbursed
Frequently Asked Questions
What if my bank said no due to country risk?
We work with funds that accept political and jurisdictional risk in emerging and frontier markets—provided there’s a real trade flow and credible counterparties.
Do you fund deals under $1M?
Our typical minimum is USD 1 million, but we may review smaller tickets for repeat clients or where future flow is substantial and verifiable.
Can you fund deals quickly?
If the documentation is complete and the trade makes commercial sense, we’ve closed transactions within 10–15 business days from submission.
Is a local bank required?
No. Many of our transactions are cross-border and structured through offshore jurisdictions. We coordinate with legal counsel to manage compliance and flows accordingly.
What are the typical financing costs?
Private credit rates depend on risk, tenor, and structure. All-in pricing usually ranges from SOFR + 6% to 12%, sometimes higher for short-term unsecured trades.
Do you charge upfront fees?
Yes. Our retainer covers legal, structuring, and underwriting efforts. We only take on deals we believe we can close, and we apply institutional discipline from day one.
If your transaction has a clear trade flow, verifiable counterparties, and real commercial logic, we’ll work with you to build a credible finance structure—even if your bank declined. Our team brings underwriting expertise and direct access to capital sources who fund off-balance-sheet risk.
