The digital trade finance landscape experienced a significant development today as Olea, the Singapore-based fintech platform, secured $30 million in a Series B funding round. This capital injection aims to fuel the company’s ambitious expansion of its technology-driven trade finance solutions across global markets.
The investment round was led by Horizon Ventures, with participation from existing backers Standard Chartered Bank and BNP Paribas. For Olea, which operates at the intersection of traditional banking and financial technology, this funding represents a crucial step in scaling its alternative financing models for international trade.
“The trade finance gap continues to widen globally, particularly for small and medium enterprises in emerging markets,” explained Amelia Chen, Olea’s CEO and co-founder. “This fresh capital allows us to extend our reach to underserved businesses while enhancing our risk assessment capabilities through advanced data analytics.”
Founded in 2021 as a joint venture between Standard Chartered and Chinese supply chain platform Linklogis, Olea has pioneered a marketplace connecting institutional investors with trade finance opportunities. The company’s platform utilizes blockchain technology and artificial intelligence to streamline traditionally paper-heavy processes in cross-border trade.
According to recent data from the Asian Development Bank, the global trade finance gap reached $1.7 trillion in 2024, representing unfulfilled demand from businesses seeking capital to support import and export activities. This persistent gap has created substantial opportunities for alternative financing providers like Olea.
The company plans to deploy the new funding across three strategic priorities. First, expanding its technology infrastructure to process higher transaction volumes across different trade corridors. Second, enhancing its risk analytics capabilities to better assess creditworthiness of small and medium enterprises. Third, strengthening its presence in emerging markets throughout Southeast Asia and Africa.
Industry analysts view this investment as further validation of the growing importance of alternative finance models in global trade. “Traditional banks have been retreating from trade finance since the 2008 financial crisis due to regulatory constraints and profitability challenges,” noted Marcus Wong, fintech analyst at Morgan Stanley. “Platforms like Olea are filling critical gaps in the market while providing institutional investors with access to a new asset class.”
The trade finance sector has shown remarkable resilience despite recent global economic headwinds. Data from Bloomberg Intelligence indicates that digital trade finance platforms attracted over $850 million in venture funding during 2024, up 18% from the previous year.
Olea’s competitive advantage stems from its unique positioning with established banking partners and its technological approach to risk assessment. Unlike traditional financing models that rely heavily on company balance sheets and credit history, Olea’s platform analyzes transaction data, supplier relationships, and operational metrics to evaluate creditworthiness.
“What makes Olea different is their ability to evaluate risk based on the entire supply chain ecosystem rather than just individual company financials,” explained Sarah Jenkins, partner at Horizon Ventures. “This approach allows them to extend financing to businesses that might be overlooked by conventional lenders.”
The company’s growth trajectory has been impressive. Olea processed approximately $1.2 billion in trade finance transactions in 2024, representing a 75% increase from the previous year. With its enhanced capital position, the company projects to surpass $2.5 billion in transaction volume by the end of 2025.
For international businesses, particularly those operating in emerging markets, access to trade finance remains a critical barrier to growth. The World Trade Organization estimates that addressing the global trade finance gap could potentially add $1.5 trillion to global trade volumes annually.
Olea’s platform distinguishes itself by focusing on specific trade corridors where financing gaps are particularly acute. The company has developed specialized expertise in facilitating trade between Asian manufacturers and Western buyers, leveraging data from both ends of the supply chain to structure appropriate financing solutions.
The funding announcement comes amid broader transformation in global trade patterns, as companies reassess supply chains following pandemic disruptions and geopolitical tensions. This realignment has created new opportunities for innovative financing models that can adapt to shifting trade flows and emerging corridors.
As Olea expands its operations through 2025, the company faces both opportunities and challenges. Competition in the digital trade finance space continues to intensify, with both fintech startups and established financial institutions developing similar offerings. Meanwhile, regulatory frameworks around cross-border financing remain complex and fragmented.
Nevertheless, the substantial funding secured by Olea reflects growing investor confidence in technology-enabled trade finance solutions. For businesses engaged in global commerce, particularly smaller enterprises in developing economies, these innovative platforms may represent the difference between growth and stagnation in an increasingly complex trading environment.
