The UAE ranks first globally among 27 markets for planned digital supply chain finance investment, with 69% of local businesses planning deployment within three to five years, per Standard Chartered’s Future of Trade report. The UAE also leads in anticipated cost reductions from digitalisation — including a 10%+ cut in logistics coordination costs — and shows outsized gains in supplier resilience (+26 percentage points year-on-year) and digital adoption benefits (90% report faster disruption response vs. 83% globally). The report projects global trade could rise by 6.9%, or US$2.8 trillion, by 2031 under accelerated digitalisation.
According to techafricanews.com, the United Arab Emirates ranks first globally among 27 surveyed markets for planned investment in digital supply chain finance platforms, with 69% of UAE businesses intending to deploy such platforms over the next three to five years.
Digital Investment Leadership
Standard Chartered’s latest Future of Trade report — titled Navigating an Age of Structural Uncertainty — draws on survey responses from 2,100 senior corporate decision-makers across 27 markets. The UAE not only leads in digital supply chain finance planning but also ranks third globally for planned investment in real-time cash visibility (76% of respondents) and second for automated payments (53%).
Resilience and Strategic Shifts
The UAE’s focus on supplier resilience has intensified markedly: priority given to supplier-focused strategies rose by 26 percentage points year-on-year, far exceeding the global increase of 4.3 percentage points. Inventory management emphasis rose by 7 percentage points in the UAE, compared with 2.9 percentage points globally. As Syed Khurrum Zaeem, Managing Director and Head of Trade and Transactional Banking for the Middle East, Pakistan and Africa at Standard Chartered, stated:
“The UAE’s leading position in planned digital supply chain finance investment reflects the continued evolution of its trade ecosystem. Businesses are placing greater emphasis on strengthening supplier networks, improving visibility and connecting treasury more closely with trade. As businesses operate across increasingly complex international markets, these capabilities will be increasingly important to strengthening resilience and supporting growth.” — Syed Khurrum Zaeem, Managing Director, Head of Trade and Transactional Banking for the Middle East, Pakistan and Africa, Standard Chartered
Measurable Digital Benefits
Digital tools deliver tangible advantages for UAE firms: 90% report faster response to supply-chain disruption — higher than the global average of 83%. Additionally, 85% say digital tools improve decision-making through better visibility and forecasting, while 87% report clear, measurable benefits from at least one digital capability.
Treasury–Supply Chain Integration
Integration between treasury and supply-chain functions is accelerating: 44% of UAE businesses plan to adjust their treasury management strategies over the next three to five years, and 40% plan to increase use of digital tools and systems. Currently, 42% report partial integration and 13% full integration. The most frequently cited gap remains end-to-end visibility across supply-chain and financial flows — cited by 46% of respondents.
Cost Efficiency Gains
Digitalisation is expected to yield significant cost reductions: the UAE ranks first globally for the share of businesses anticipating at least a 10% reduction in shipment and logistics coordination costs. It also ranks among the top three for projected savings in compliance and regulatory requirements, payments and settlements, and engagement with overseas counterparties. The broader Future of Trade report estimates that accelerated trade digitalisation could lift global trade by 6.9% — equivalent to US$2.8 trillion — by 2031.
Source: techafricanews.com
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
