We provide lender-ready capital raise packaging and debt or equity placement support for business owners and buyers looking to secure serious term sheets and close funding on a defined timeline.
For business owners and acquirers pursuing private debt or equity, submit your deal for review. We revert within one working day with next steps and either a quote for our services.
For pre-submission discussions, we offer paid consultations. To initiate underwriting and lender outreach, submit the deal.
Trade finance mandates are often described too casually by clients who have never taken a real file through underwriting. They talk about a shipment, a supplier, a buyer, and a bank instrument as though that alone should be enough to unlock funding. It is not. A financeable trade transaction must be documented, screened, structured, and presented in a way that makes commercial sense to a lender. That work happens before any credible lender introduction begins, which is exactly why the upfront retainer exists.
In trade finance, the advisory firm is not the bank, not the funder, and not the principal trader. Its role is to review the mandate, pressure-test the transaction, identify weaknesses, package the file, and position it with the right capital providers. That requires professional time, specialised staff, compliance resources, and execution discipline. Serious traders, exporters, importers, and commodity sponsors budget for that. Parties who refuse to do so are usually not ready, not credible, or trying to offload the cost of their own transaction onto the advisor.
An upfront trade finance retainer covers the real work required to make a commodity or trade transaction marketable: contract review, counterparty screening, compliance checks, document reconciliation, payment instrument review, logistics logic, risk analysis, structure design, lender targeting, and execution support. Trade finance lenders want a ready file, not a story.
Trade finance is short-duration financing linked to the movement, storage, processing, or sale of goods. It usually revolves around a specific transaction or revolving trade program rather than a general balance-sheet loan. Depending on the structure, repayment may come from a buyer payment under a Letter of Credit, the liquidation of inventory, the assignment of receivables, the proceeds of an offtake agreement, or a controlled cash flow waterfall tied to the underlying shipment.
In practice, that means lenders care about the goods, the contracts, the counterparties, the margin, the shipping route, the payment mechanism, the inspection regime, the legal enforceability of the documents, and the sponsor’s ability to control the transaction. Trade finance is document-heavy because the risk sits inside the flow of goods and money. If those flows are weak, unclear, or unsupported, the lender will not proceed.
| Term | Meaning In A Trade Finance Context |
|---|---|
| Trade Finance Advisor | A firm that reviews, structures, packages, and presents a trade transaction to lenders or funders. It does not usually provide the lending capital itself. |
| Letter of Credit | A bank instrument under which payment is made against compliant presentation of shipping and commercial documents. |
| Structured Commodity Finance | A form of trade finance where repayment relies on defined commodity flows, security controls, documents, and transaction mechanics rather than broad unsecured corporate credit. |
| Borrowing Base | A formula-driven limit based on eligible receivables, inventory, or other trade-related collateral. |
| Offtake Agreement | A contract under which a buyer commits to purchase product from the seller or producer, often providing part of the repayment visibility for a lender. |
| Collateral Manager | An independent party monitoring goods in storage, stock movements, and collateral integrity where lender security depends on inventory controls. |
| Lender-Ready File | A complete financing pack containing the commercial story, contracts, shipment logic, KYC support, financials, risk summary, and structure a lender needs to underwrite the transaction. |
| Deal Packaging | The process of organising the trade file into a coherent financing submission rather than a pile of disconnected documents and emails. |
The retainer covers the work required to convert a trade opportunity into something financeable. Many mandates arrive with a contract, a pro forma invoice, maybe a few bank claims, and a very loose understanding of what lenders will ask. That is nowhere near enough. Before the file can be shown to the market, it must be cleaned up, tested, reconciled, and structured.
Review of the trade flow, goods, supplier, buyer, jurisdictions, payment method, timeline, capital need, margin profile, and obvious bankability issues.
Review of sales contracts, purchase contracts, offtake agreements, framework agreements, invoices, and supporting commercial correspondence.
KYC, beneficial ownership checks, sanctions screening, jurisdiction review, vessel or route flags where relevant, and initial counterparty credibility assessment.
Analysis of whether the transaction is better suited to a borrowing base line, documentary LC structure, receivables-backed facility, inventory-backed facility, or other trade finance format.
Preparation of the memorandum, transaction summary, sources and uses, risk section, repayment explanation, document index, and data-room logic.
Identifying the lenders, trade finance desks, funds, or alternative providers whose mandate actually fits the transaction rather than sending the file blindly.
Real trade finance execution is not one broker with a contact list. A serious file may require multiple professionals, each doing specialised work. Market rates vary by geography and complexity, but the ranges below are commercially realistic.
| Role | Typical Function | Typical Market Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Trade Finance Analyst | Margin review, trade flow analysis, borrowing base logic, repayment mapping, and file support. | USD 125 to USD 250 per hour |
| Structuring Lead | Facility design, collateral logic, lender positioning, and documentation strategy. | USD 300 to USD 650 per hour |
| Compliance / KYC Specialist | Sanctions screening, beneficial ownership review, jurisdiction checks, and counterparty verification. | USD 125 to USD 275 per hour |
| Trade Documentation Specialist | Review of shipping documents, invoice sets, inspection reports, warehouse records, and payment document consistency. | USD 150 to USD 300 per hour |
| Transaction Counsel | Security analysis, assignment mechanics, escrow review, guarantee logic, and legal documentation support. | USD 450 to USD 1,000 per hour |
| Collateral Manager / Inspector | Stock monitoring, warehouse validation, cargo inspection, and collateral integrity where relevant. | Usually fixed engagement or per-transaction fee |
Even a straightforward trade facility can require a surprisingly large amount of paper. Lenders do not advance against broad assurances. They advance against documentary control, enforceability, and a visible repayment route.
Certificate of incorporation, beneficial ownership declaration, IDs of controlling persons, trade licence if relevant, bank details, and corporate authority documents.
Supplier contract, buyer contract, framework agreements, purchase orders, invoices, delivery schedules, and any signed amendments.
Shipment schedule, logistics path, incoterms, ports, warehouse arrangements, inspection approach, and insurance details.
LC capability evidence, SWIFT comfort where available, bank correspondence, payment term explanation, and collection mechanics.
Financial statements, management accounts, debt schedule, working capital profile, margin analysis, and historic trading evidence where available.
Receivables schedule, inventory detail, warehouse receipts, assignment mechanics, cash flow waterfall, and any available guarantee or reserve support.
The retainer funds the advisory work. It does not erase the rest of the transaction budget. Serious trade deals often involve third-party costs that borrowers either underestimate or conveniently forget when they start complaining about upfront fees.
None of these costs are exotic. They are part of normal execution when the transaction is real.
If the cargo, trade flow, or facility is genuinely material, an execution budget should already exist.
Experienced traders, exporters, and commodity operators know that trade finance is document-driven, risk-driven, and process-driven. They budget for advisory, legal, compliance, inspection, and control costs before they start asking for capital.
That is the practical dividing line. A serious sponsor wants the file prepared properly because lender relationships are valuable and weak submissions damage credibility. A time waster wants introductions first, documents later, and hopes someone else will absorb the cost of making the transaction real. Lenders can usually tell which is which very quickly.
If you do, why is there no budget for structuring, legal review, compliance, and lender preparation on a material transaction?
If yes, why has funding not already moved? If no, why should a third party do the repair work for free?
In many trade files, the supplier contract, buyer contract, shipment schedule, and payment terms do not line up properly. That has to be fixed before lender approach.
Usually not. Advisory work is no different. It is professional transaction work, not casual brokerage theatre.
No. The retainer pays for advisory work. Lenders still make an independent credit decision based on the file, counterparties, structure, collateral, and market conditions.
Because lenders expect a coherent file. Sending a weak or incomplete transaction to the market usually leads to rejection and damages credibility.
No. Success fees compensate closing. They do not fund the upfront work required to review, package, structure, and prepare the file.
Many have little exposure to real trade finance processes and assume the advisor should behave like a direct lender, a free broker, and an unpaid structuring desk all at once.
Often that the party is not ready, does not control the mandate, lacks budget, or expects the advisor to carry the cost and risk of preparation.
That the client is serious, engaged, budgeted, and prepared to run a proper trade finance process.
If you have a genuine trade transaction, control the commercial flow, and are prepared to fund proper execution, submit your deal for review. Financely will assess whether the file is suitable for structuring, packaging, and lender placement support.
Financely provides trade finance advisory and capital raising support on a best-efforts basis and, where relevant, through regulated or licensed counterparties. It is not a bank, does not guarantee approval, and does not represent that any lender will fund a transaction. Financing outcomes depend on transaction quality, documentation, counterparties, structure, compliance, market conditions, and third-party underwriting decisions.
Financely advises growth-focused businesses on accessing capital by introducing their opportunities to professional investors. Financely is not a securities broker or dealer. Where appropriate, engagements are coordinated with regulated broker-dealers, investment banks, legal counsel, and other specialists.
Financely does not solicit, offer, or accept orders to buy or sell securities and makes no assurance regarding capital-raising outcomes.
Services are strictly business-to-business. Financely does not provide personal finance, consumer credit, or retail advisory services.
Advisory services are reserved for post-revenue companies that recognize the time and resources required for professional underwriting.
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Email supportdesk@financely-group.com for general enquiries, press & partnership requests.
All mandates start with an RFQ. We review submissions, issue a brief Go/No-Go memo, and where bankable, release a Term Sheet that leads to funding. We arrange capital across Senior Secured, Unitranche, Second Lien/Mezzanine, Preferred Equity, and Gap Solutions. We do not process deals by email or chat.
Letters of Credit, Standby LCs, Confirmations, Receivables Finance, and Inventory Lines with control.
Funding arranged for trade flows with instruments sized to your cycle and aligned to delivery and settlement.
Move forward to secure working capital and keep goods moving. Submit the RFQ to start underwriting for funding.
Limited or non-recourse structures for energy and infrastructure with lender-ready materials.
Funding solutions aligned to project cash flows with credible covenants and conditions to reach notice to proceed.
Advance the file to termable status. Submit the RFQ so we can underwrite and secure funding.
Debt and Preferred solutions anchored on cash flow, Quality of Earnings, and clear closing mechanics.
Funding across senior, unitranche, and preferred to match stable cash flows and acquisition timelines.
Get financed on workable terms for closing. Submit the RFQ to start underwriting.
Acquisition, development, bridge, and refinance with lender-ready packs and third-party reports managed.
Funding calibrated to DSCR, leverage, and tenancy with terms designed to close.
Move to a financeable package. Submit the RFQ to initiate underwriting for funding.
KYC and Source of Funds required. Engagements are best-efforts and subject to underwriting. Preference for operating companies with meaningful revenue. See our FAQ and Procedure.
Financely Inc. (“Financely”) provides corporate-finance advice and is wholly owned by Aurora Bay Trust, a trust formed under Bahamian law, together with its authorized affiliates. Depending on deal structure, jurisdiction, and local rules, engagements may be carried out through Financely Group LLC, a non-deposit-taking, non-banking financial company; Ashford Capital Advisory LLC; or another related entity.
Financely and its affiliates are not registered as securities broker-dealers and do not execute securities transactions or hold client funds or securities. When a mandate involves the purchase or sale of securities and a registered intermediary is required, any orders are introduced to and executed by one or more independent U.S. broker-dealers registered with the SEC and FINRA. Those broker-dealers are solely responsible for trade execution, custody, and related regulatory obligations. Nothing in this material constitutes an offer, solicitation, or recommendation to buy or sell any security or to engage in any specific transaction. Before engaging Financely Group LLC, Ashford Capital Advisory LLC, or any affiliate, you are responsible for confirming that such engagement complies with your own legal, regulatory, tax, and other requirements. In the United States, certain advisory activities may be conducted in reliance on exemptions available under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, including the “foreign private adviser” exemption where applicable. Our services and regulatory status may vary by jurisdiction and by transaction type.
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