Trade Finance
3 guides · KeyBS Pay Knowledge Center
Letters of credit, escrow, Incoterms and the instruments that make strangers safe to trade with.
Quick answer
Trade finance instruments — letters of credit, escrow arrangements, documentary collections — solve the trust gap in international trade: the buyer does not want to pay before goods ship, and the seller does not want to ship before being paid. Each instrument allocates that risk differently, at different cost and complexity.
Guides in this cluster
1What Is Trade Finance? The Instruments Behind International TradeTrade finance bridges the trust and cash-flow gaps in international trade: letters of credit, collections, escrow, invoice finance and guarantees, explained simply. 9 min2Letters of Credit vs Escrow: Choosing Your Payment ProtectionBoth condition payment on evidence — but LCs run on bank credit and strict document rules, while escrow holds real funds with flexible conditions. How to choose. 8 min3Incoterms for Importers: What EXW, FOB and CIF Really MeanIncoterms decide who pays for what and when risk transfers in a trade. EXW, FOB, CIF, DDP and friends explained for importers, with pricing and payment implications. 8 min
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