For small businesses, working capital is essential to keep operations running smoothly. Nearly 70% of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) face financial challenges in this area. Traditional working capital loans from banks often fall short in addressing these specific needs, leading to cash flow issues and hindered growth.
Supply Chain Finance (SCF) offers a flexible solution to optimize working capital and support growth. It offers significant financial and cash flow advantages to businesses of all sizes. Its importance lies in enhancing liquidity, shortening capital cycles, and bolstering supply chain resilience, making it an essential tool for sustaining a competitive edge in a volatile market.
Globally, the supply chain financing market is projected to reach USD 13.4 billion by 2031. Despite its potential, traditional SCF processes are complex and cumbersome. Modern day credit tech stack could revolutionize Supply Chain Financing, streamlining processes and enhancing financial mechanisms.
This blog explores the challenges in supply chain financing and how M2P’s Credit Stack is addressing them to empower businesses.
What is Supply Chain Financing?
Supply Chain Financing (SCF) comprises a range of financial solutions aimed at optimizing working capital and enhancing liquidity for businesses within the supply chain. SCF enhances business cash flow by facilitating convenient payment terms between buyers and suppliers. In this model, both parties reap the benefits:
- Suppliers receive quicker payments
- Buyers enjoy extended credit periods
It not only optimizes cash flow but also stabilizes the supply network during market fluctuations. SCF operates through a collaborative framework involving buyers, suppliers, and financial institutions, establishing short-term credit based on the buyer’s creditworthiness.
But even with these benefits, there are still some hurdles slowing things down—let’s explore what barriers supply chain financing has been facing.
Challenges in Supply Chain Financing
Manual processes slow down operations and heighten the risk of errors. Scalability is also a major issue, as managing large volumes of transactions and suppliers can be daunting without sophisticated systems. Additionally, regulatory compliance and the need to adhere to strict financial standards further complicate the landscape. Due to these challenges, many businesses end up with inadequate supply chain financing, which restricts their growth and hinders their ability to maintain robust liquidity.
Financial institutions are now adopting new-age credit stack to overcome these obstacles. These new-age products help deliver streamlined, efficient solutions for supply chain financing, significantly transforming how businesses manage their financial operations.
How can Lenders benefit from Credit Stack to power SCF?
Lenders are adopting new-age credit stack to power Supply Chain Financing (SCF) for several compelling reasons.
Working Capital Efficiency
New-age credit stack optimize working capital for both buyers and suppliers. By leveraging the buyer’s creditworthiness, lenders can provide suppliers with early payments costs while allowing buyers extended payment terms customized to their creditworthiness and purchase relationship with the buyer. This dual benefit strengthens cash flow across the supply chain, ensuring smoother operations. The new-age credit stack can do this efficiently with smarter underwriting capabilities, integrated data collection mechanisms and ability to automate workflows in the process.
Improved Risk Management
To assess credit risk accurately, new-age credit stack incorporates advanced algorithms and real-time analytics. By continuously monitoring financial data, transactions, and market conditions, lenders can better predict and mitigate risks associated with supply chain financing. This proactive approach reduces the likelihood of defaults and losses.
Seamless Automation & Scalability
New-age credit stack integrates advanced AI and machine learning technologies to automate invoice processing, payment tracking, and compliance checks. This eliminates manual errors and enables lenders to handle large transaction volumes efficiently—a critical advantage in globalized supply chains.
Strengthening Supplier Relationships
Reliable and transparent financing solutions provided by new-age credit stack foster stronger relationships between businesses and their suppliers. Predictable and timely financing helps suppliers plan better and trust that they will be paid on time.
New-age credit stack enables lenders to stay ahead in today’s competitive landscape, since adopting it isn’t just an option, it’s a necessity. Harnessing the power of these innovations, supply chain financing is transforming the way suppliers and distributors manage their operations.
Impact of Supply Chain Financing for Suppliers & Distributors
Maintaining a healthy cash flow and operational efficiency is crucial for both suppliers and distributors. Supply chain financing (SCF) addresses these needs, offering immediate financial benefits and fostering stronger relationships within the supply chain.
Here’s a breakdown of its impact on suppliers and distributors.
For Suppliers
- Faster payments: Reduces Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) and improves cash flow management
- Cost-effective funding: Leverages the creditworthiness of larger buyers
- Flexibility: Enhances financial planning and decision-making
- Guaranteed payments: Minimizes the risk of late payments and buyer defaults
For Distributors
- Improved Cash Flow: Access to immediate funding shortens Days Sales Outstanding (DSO), optimizing cash flow management
- Lower Cost of Capital: Leveraging the buyer’s creditworthiness allows distributors to access funds at a lower cost than traditional financing options
- Financial Flexibility: Enhanced cash flow supports better financial planning and decision-making
- Reduced Payment Risks: Guaranteed payments minimize risks of late payments and buyer defaults
- Operational Efficiency: Reduced financial strain enables focus on optimizing operations and driving long-term growth
The transformative impact of supply chain financing on suppliers and distributors is clear—improved cash flow, reduced financial risks, and heightened operational efficiency. To maximize these benefits, leveraging new-age credit platforms that allows innovative credit payment facilities to the stakeholders is essential.
By enhancing efficiency, reducing risks, and providing real-time insights, credit stack empowers businesses to better manage their working capital and foster growth.
As a solution, M2P Credit Stack offers a rapid, secure, and scalable supply chain finance platform. This modern system accelerates time-to-market and lowers the total cost of ownership (TCO), helping businesses achieve their financial goals more efficiently.
M2P’s Credit Stack
M2P’s Credit Stack is a versatile multi-product platform designed to support a variety of use cases such as retail credit cards, corporate credit cards, line of credit, supply chain financing, and UPI on credit cards/credit line. This single platform empowers you to seamlessly build, issue, manage, and scale your credit programs, end to end. M2P’s Credit Stack delivers smarter, more efficient, and scalable solutions tailored to your needs:
- All-in-one platform: One integrated platform offers credit line & merchant management capabilities and KYC/ KYB services.
- API-first platform: Ensures seamless integration with lenders, buyers/merchants, and supplier ERP systems.
- Automated user journeys: Streamlines processes such as buyer onboarding, purchase, invoice generation, refunds, and repayments.
- Comprehensive merchant & credit line management solution: Provides unified and efficient experience for all parties involved.
- Flexible credit: Platform supports a wide range of credit product constructs (daily/ weekly/ fortnightly/monthly billing) that caters to a variety of businesses.
With M2P’s Credit Stack, businesses get a smart, steady way to streamline cash flow and spark growth. Step into the future of supply chain financing and unleash your company’s true power with our innovative solution.
Ready to transform how your business handles money?
Reach out to M2P Fintech today and supercharge your supply chain financing.
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