Commodity Trade Finance – Oil, Grains, Metals, Softs – Structured Deals

Commodity Trade Finance – Oil, Grains, Metals, Softs – Structured Deals

Commodity trade finance is a working capital engine designed for real cargo, real counterparties, and tight execution windows. It is not generic corporate debt. Cash must move in rhythm with shipment schedules, inspection rules, title control, and payment mechanics. When the structure is right, traders scale volumes without overloading their balance sheets. When the structure is wrong, lenders step back and the trade stalls.

Financely provides advisory and arrangement support for structured commodity trade finance through regulated partners. We are not a bank and we do not lend from our own balance sheet. Our role is to shape a lender-ready transaction, tighten documents and collateral logic, and run a controlled process with credible capital providers.

Institutional commodity trade finance providers fund what they can verify and control. A strong file shows clean contracts, measurable risk windows, credible counterparties, and collateral structures that hold up under stress.

Eligible Commodity Categories

We support mandates across the major physical commodity categories where the trade flow, governance, and compliance profile can meet professional underwriting standards.

  • Oil and refined products. Crude, middle distillates, gasoline blending components, marine fuels, and related flows.
  • Grains and oilseeds. Wheat, maize, soy, rice, and structured regional flows with verified origin and logistics.
  • Metals and concentrates. Base metals, refined products, and select concentrates with robust assay and custody frameworks.
  • Soft commodities. Sugar, cocoa, coffee, cotton, and other standardized, inspection-led trades.

Core Structures We Arrange

The best facility type depends on trade velocity, collateral strength, and counterparty quality. Real underwriting is about matching capital to the weakest link in the cycle.

Working Capital and Borrowing Base

  • Revolving borrowing-base facilities against inventory and receivables.
  • Advance rate logic aligned with quality, storage, and concentration limits.
  • Controlled accounts and reporting frameworks for institutional oversight.

These structures suit repeat flows where the trader needs scale and predictability.

Trade Instruments and Documentary Structures

  • Documentary letters of credit aligned with shipment documentation rules.
  • Standby letters of credit and demand guarantees for performance or payment security.
  • Structured confirmation or discounting pathways where risk is clean.

These tools reduce counterparty stress and can lower funding friction when used correctly.

Pre-Export and Offtake-Linked Finance

  • Funding tied to contracted volumes and verified delivery schedules.
  • Security aligned with export proceeds and controlled collection mechanics.
  • Suitability for producers and aggregator platforms with stable operations.

The emphasis is on enforceable cash capture and credible operational performance.

Inventory and Structured Custody Finance

  • Warehouse-led inventory finance with clear release conditions.
  • Third-party inspection and audit access built into the facility.
  • Insurance alignment to origin, transit, and storage risk windows.

This structure is only as strong as the custody and governance around the goods.

What Makes a Deal Financeable

Credit teams are not buying a narrative. They are buying control, documentation, and downside protection. A strong mandate typically includes:

  • Back-to-back purchase and sale contracts or a clear liquidation pathway.
  • Defined Incoterms 2020 positions and clean risk transfer logic.
  • Independent inspection or assay protocols tied to payment and release events.
  • Clear title, custody, and insurance mapping across the trade cycle.
  • Counterparty files with transparent ownership and verifiable performance history.

Common Reasons Commodity Trade Finance Providers Decline a File

These issues are frequent, avoidable, and expensive when discovered late.

  • Unclear origin, end buyer, or routing exposure that triggers compliance concerns.
  • Contracts that do not align on specs, quality remedies, or delivery risk windows.
  • Overstated margins that ignore freight, insurance, and funding realities.
  • Weak warehouse governance or a custody story that cannot be audited.
  • Thin corporate records, unresolved ownership questions, or inconsistent trade history.

How Financely Executes a Commodity Trade Finance Mandate

We start with an eligibility and structure review, then build a lender-ready package that includes the trade cycle map, contract alignment review, collateral logic, KYC and compliance file, and a workable reporting plan. We then target suitable regulated partners and capital providers based on product, geography, tenor, and risk appetite.

Our work is designed to cut false starts. We focus on trades that can be underwritten, documented, and controlled with the discipline expected by professional commodity trade finance providers.

Request Indicative Commodity Trade Finance Terms

If you are trading oil, grains, metals, or soft commodities and want an institutional-grade structure with credible execution pathways, Financely can review your trade cycle and outline a realistic route to funding through regulated partners.

Discuss a Commodity Trade Finance Mandate

Disclaimer: This page is for general information only and does not constitute legal, financial, or regulatory advice. Financely acts as advisor and arranger through regulated partners and is not a bank or direct lender. Financely does not guarantee financing outcomes. Any transaction is subject to due diligence, legal documentation, KYC, AML, sanctions screening, credit approvals, and security perfection where applicable. Professional and corporate audience only.

Get Started With Us

Submit Your Deal & Receive a Proposal Within 1-3 Working Days

Submit your deal using our secure intake form, and receive a quote within 1-3 business days. Existing clients can connect with their relationship manager through our secure web portal.


All submissions are promptly reviewed, and all communications are conducted through the intake form or the client portal for a seamless and secure process.

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Thank you for considering working with us. A nominal fee of US$500 is required upon completion of each form. This fee covers the time and effort we invest in reviewing your submission and crafting a thorough proposal. We receive numerous inquiries and prioritize those that carry this fee, ensuring serious applicants receive prompt attention.

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Financely assists banks facing Basel III pressures by distributing trade finance deals and providing collateral for letters of credit. We reduce capital burdens while preserving client relationships and fostering service expansion. Submit your request to optimize your trade finance offerings.

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Once we receive your submission, our team will review your information to determine feasibility. If eligible, you will receive a proposal or term sheet within 1–3 business days. Visit our FAQ and Procedure pages for more information.

Disclaimer: Financely provides financing based on due diligence and feasibility. Approval is not guaranteed, and past performance does not predict future outcomes. All terms are subject to review. Financely primarily assists with structuring and distribution. Qualified parties carry out the project if the client approves the proposal.

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If you still have questions after visiting our FAQ and Procedure pages, we invite you to book a paid consultation for personalized guidance. A $250 USD fee applies per session.