The United Arab Emirates is ranked top internationally among 27 examined nations for planned investment in digital supply chain financing platforms, according to Standard Chartered’s most recent Future of Trade report, “Navigating an Age of Structural Uncertainty.”
The ranking coincides with UAE companies putting more emphasis on real-time visibility, supplier resiliency, and tighter integration between trade and treasury.
69% of UAE companies want to invest in digital supply chain financing platforms over the next three to five years, the highest percentage among all examined markets, according to the study, which polled 2,100 senior corporate decision-makers across 27 regions.
According to 76% of respondents, the UAE is ranked third internationally for planned investment in real-time cash visibility and second for automated payments (53%).
“The UAE’s leading position in planned digital supply chain finance investment reflects the ongoing evolution of its trade ecosystem,” stated Syed Khurrum Zaeem, Managing Director, Head of Trade and Transactional Banking for the Middle East, Pakistan, and Africa at Standard Chartered. Strengthening supplier networks, increasing visibility, and tying treasury closer to trade are all priorities for businesses. These skills will become more crucial for bolstering resilience and fostering growth as companies engage in more complex international markets.
The way UAE companies are handling supplier resilience is another indication of this change. Supplier-focused tactics now receive 26 percentage points more priority than they did a year ago, despite a 4.3 percentage point global increase. Additionally, inventory management has increased by seven percentage points in the United Arab Emirates as opposed to 2.9 percentage points worldwide.
