Trade Under Fire: Tariff Shocks & SME Exporters

As global trade comes under pressure from rising tariffs, geopolitical fragmentation, and shifting supply chains, SME exporters are increasingly exposed to shocks they are least equipped to absorb. Tariff volatility, combined with growing trust deficits, payment delays, and settlement frictions, is raising the cost and uncertainty of cross-border trade. At the same time, shrinking correspondent banking networks and escalating compliance burdens are eroding already thin margins, pushing many SMEs out of international markets.

Yet disruption is also driving transformation. New tools—from digital trade documents and alternative credit models to tokenization of trade assets and agentic commerce—are beginning to reduce friction, unlock liquidity, and reshape how SMEs access finance and execute transactions.

This panel brings together practitioners to examine what is working today, what can scale, and whether these innovations are truly reaching SME exporters—focusing on how to turn tariff shocks and trade disruptions into opportunities for more resilient and inclusive global trade.