About Us

The International Trade and Forfaiting Association, ITFA, is the worldwide trade association for companies, financial institutions and intermediaries engaged in global trade, forfaiting, supply chain and receivables financing.

Founded in 1999, ITFA is an association made up of circa 350 members, located in over 60 different countries. ITFA brings together banks and financial institutions who are engaged in originating and distributing trade related risk and finding creative ways to mitigate risks. Expanding from its original focus on the purchase and discounting of simple but robust payment instruments, such as negotiable instruments and letters of credit, the forfaiting industry has embraced new instruments and created new structures to become a prominent part of supply chain finance. ITFA acts as a valuable forum for its members to interact and transact business together profitably and safely.

ITFA welcomes new members. Full details of the benefits of membership can be found on the benefits of membership page. This includes those of associate membership for organisations that do not carry out forfaiting, but wish to retain a strong link to the trade and forfaiting community.

Mission Statement

ITFA represents the rights and interests of banks, financial institutions and service providers involved in trade risk and asset origination and distribution. ITFA, working with, and for, its members:

• delivers unique opportunities for networking within a professional community
• disseminates knowledge and provides education
• contributes to creating a safe, transparent trade finance industry
• co-operates with partner associations across the trade finance spectrum to promote the interests of its members and their treatment by regulators and legislators
• is at the forefront of understanding current and emerging changes, challenges and opportunities in trade finance, and protecting the interests of the incumbents
• continuously improves governance and best practice and shapes rules, laws and documentation that affect its members and the industry
• attracts new skills and talent to the trade finance industry
• facilitates the expansion of trade and trade finance globally