• Home
• Banks

Accelerating digital transformation and the widespread adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) could inject an additional $2.8 trillion into global trade annually by 2031, equating to roughly $7.6 billion per day. According to the "Future of Trade 2026" report, released by Standard Chartered in collaboration with Oxford Economics, this "Digital Acceleration" scenario represents a 6.9% increase over baseline trade forecasts.

Titled "Navigating an Era of Structural Uncertainty," the report surveyed 2,100 C-suite decision-makers across 27 markets. The findings reveal that businesses are increasingly relying on digital tools, AI, and integrated financial infrastructures to navigate complex trade environments, enhance transparency, reduce operational friction, and capitalize on the expanding digital economy.

Digital Services Outpacing Goods

The study highlights a rapid surge in digitally delivered cross-border services, such as cloud computing, cybersecurity, and professional services. Key metrics include:

Export Growth: Digital services exports soared by 136% between 2016 and 2025, significantly outpacing the 70% growth recorded for overall goods and services exports during the same period.

Market Share: Digitally delivered services accounted for 14.7% of total global exports in 2025, up from 10.6% in 2016.

Future Projections: By 2031, trade in services could surge 11.4% above baseline levels, nearly double the projected 5.9% increase for trade in goods, driven by improved data flows, interoperability, and streamlined compliance.

AI stands out as a critical catalyst in this transition. Over 56% of surveyed companies identified AI as highly important or transformative for trade digitization—a figure that rises to 62% within the technology, media, telecommunications, and energy sectors.

Prioritizing Supply Chain Resilience Over Relocation

While more than 9 out of 10 companies anticipate modifying their supply chain operations within the next three to five years, approximately 60% do not plan to enter new markets or exit existing ones for sourcing or manufacturing. This indicates that supply chain reconfiguration is not strictly about geographic relocation.

Instead, the focus has pivoted toward reinforcing supply chain resilience. Strategic supplier management and inventory control have gained immense prominence. The importance of supplier-focused strategies rose by 4.3 percentage points globally, with the sharpest increases seen in the Americas (8.7 points) and Greater China/North Asia (6.8 points). Similarly, inventory management priorities spiked, notably in ASEAN (8.4 points) and the Middle East and Africa (6.7 points).

The Strategic Evolution of Treasury Management

Corporate treasury and liquidity management are evolving from traditional risk-mitigation functions into strategic drivers of growth, necessitated by complex supplier networks and elevated cross-border capital flows.

Operational Integration: 37% of companies plan to integrate their treasury and supply chain functions more closely over the next three to five years.

FX Risk Management: Currency risk management is a strategic priority for 57% of firms, with a third of respondents expecting higher exposure to exchange rate fluctuations in the near future.

Digital Efficacy: 82% of executives confirmed that digital tools vastly improve visibility and predictability across financial and supply chain activities. Furthermore, 74% stated that digital treasury solutions enhance their ability to manage liquidity and currency risks during periods of structural uncertainty.