Both digital trade and digital finance are frequently cited as key to solving the trade finance gap and more generally the financial inclusion gap. Although there are examples of instances where fintechs have helped to expand financial inclusion, the trade finance gap and the problems of financial inclusion continue to grow. The bulk of finance, technology and digital trade innovation– particularly in the past year where focus has been on the use of AI– have focused on making current processes faster and more efficient, without making a real dent on inclusion. 
 
This roundtable seeks to recentre the inclusion discussion on the collaboration that digital trade and digital finance advocates must undertake to create real pathways – not just rhetorical ones – towards financial inclusion. Among the key discussion items will be:
- Creation and sharing of data from trade processes into finance
- Tokenization of real world and financial assets to solve deep tier/upstream access
- Partnership with Multilateral Development Banks and policymakers to drive private sector action
- The role of CBDCs and payments
 
Working with the audience, the roundtable seeks to outline a number of actions that can be taken collaboratively towards closing the inclusion gap and making real progress, bearing in mind the need to strike a better balance between the need for commercial viability of innovation and the need to solve inclusion issues and secure future prosperity.

This roundtable will explore how the use of technology can support efforts in combating illicit financial activities and evasion of sanctions in payments. The roundtable seeks to enhance collaboration between the public and private sectors on technological solutions for fighting illicit financial activities like money laundering (ML), terrorism financing (TF), fraud and scams.