BRAC Bank goes live with Finastra trade finance software

BRAC Bank has gone live with trade finance software from Finastra and Conpend, covering its trade operations and services for corporate clients in Bangladesh.

The bank has implemented Finastra's Trade Innovation and Corporate Channels systems alongside Conpend's Trade AI to replace fragmented processes with a single digital trade finance platform.

Trade finance remains a key business line for commercial banks serving importers and exporters, particularly in markets where companies rely on bank-backed documentation, payment commitments and transaction monitoring. Banks have been under pressure to reduce manual processing, improve turnaround times and give corporate customers better visibility into transaction progress.

The new setup is intended to streamline workflows, increase straight-through processing and improve visibility across the trade finance lifecycle. It also gives corporate customers a single channel to submit requests, collaborate securely, approve transactions and track progress.

According to the companies, the rollout also supports compliance with industry standards including ISO 20022 and Swift SR2026 requirements. BRAC Bank said the system was built to support higher transaction volumes and further expansion as its digital strategy develops.

Trade upgrade

Banks in Bangladesh have been investing in technology for transaction banking and trade services as business customers seek faster processing and less paper-based administration. Against that backdrop, BRAC Bank's move reflects a broader shift towards integrated platforms that combine back-office processing with customer-facing digital access.

Tareq Refat Ullah Khan, Managing Director & CEO at BRAC Bank, described the launch as part of a broader overhaul of the lender's trade operations.

"This implementation marks an important milestone in our trade finance transformation. By digitising and streamlining trade operations, we are enhancing transparency, control and efficiency across the trade finance lifecycle, enabling us to serve our corporate clients with greater speed and reliability. This advanced trade solutions brings us closer to our ambition of becoming the most preferred trade bank in Bangladesh by consistently delivering superior value to our customers," said Khan.

Finastra said banks are looking for systems that simplify operational processes while improving the client experience in trade finance. It described the BRAC Bank deployment as a front-to-back implementation covering both internal workflows and customer access.

Andrew Bateman, EVP for Lending at Finastra, said the project gives the bank a platform for its next phase of development.

"As trade finance continues to play a vital role in supporting businesses and economic growth, banks are seeking technology that simplifies operations while delivering a better customer experience," said Bateman.

"We're delighted to support BRAC Bank on its transformation journey. Through our front-to-back trade finance capabilities, the bank has established a modern and scalable platform that increases operational efficiency, enhances visibility across the trade lifecycle, and delivers a more connected experience for its corporate customer," he added.

Customer focus

For corporate users, one of the main changes is the consolidation of trade-related activity into a single interface. That matters for businesses managing letters of credit, guarantees and other trade instruments across multiple approval and documentation stages, where delays often stem from disconnected systems and manual handoffs.

For the bank, the operational case rests on handling growing trade volumes with fewer breaks in the process. Straight-through processing has long been a goal in trade finance because it can reduce operational risk, shorten completion times and lower the need for repetitive manual checks.

The launch marks another step in the relationship between BRAC Bank and Finastra, with both companies linking the project to a wider effort to make trade services more efficient and transparent for business customers.