Key Points • The global trade finance gap is estimated at $1.5 trillion. • 40% of the gap originates in Asia and the Pacific. • 74% of rejected trade finance transactions come from SMEs and midcap firms. • Female-owned firms report higher rejection rates, and are less likely to find alternatives in the formal financial sector. • At least 36% of rejected trade finance may be fundable by other financial institutions. • A 10% increase in trade finance could boost employment by 1%. • 80% of banks report digitization will cut costs, yet no evidence that savings translate to tional trade finance apacity.