Export finance

Export finance, which is used to cover the time between an export order being placed and payment being made, is a means of facilitating international trade. Financing can play a role, for instance, when exporters may need to protect against the higher risk of payment default by an unknown buyer situated in a foreign legal system; because export orders often require more working capital, relative to sales, than domestic orders and exporters may wait an average of three to five months between shipment and payment; or buyers require funds from a financial institution to purchase goods and services.