BCR Publishing releases World Factoring Yearbook 2025

Featuring factoring statistics, market reviews, and company directories from 35 countries around the world—plus 8 specialist articles—the World Factoring Yearbook 2025 is an essential point of reference for the receivables finance industry.
Key Developments in the 2025 Edition:
• Continuing global trade disruption and weaker export markets are affecting factoring volumes.
• Contrasting reports from Europe: slower growth or even negative trends in some countries, but also spectacular volume increases in others.
• Highest growth rates recorded in Georgia (57 per cent), India (56 per cent), Turkey and New Zealand (both 26 per cent), and Serbia (25 per cent).
• Mixed fortunes in Africa, with significant variation in market developments.
• Strong market growth and an optimistic outlook in South America.
• Marked contrasts between the US and China markets.
• Global client numbers continue to grow, often outpacing market volume growth.
• Concern in EU countries over the potential impact of the impending EU Late Payment Directive.
• Rise of non-recourse factoring in Europe and South America.
• Fintechs are playing an increasingly important role, especially in the Benelux countries and South America.
• Key issues across many countries: digitalisation and AI.
• Greatest concerns globally: geopolitical events and trade tariff uncertainties.
________________________________________
Featured Articles in This Edition
Turning an Art into Science: Futureproofing Risk Management in the Age of Data
• The factoring industry is challenged by a fast-changing environment and a shrinking pool of experienced professionals.
• Risk mitigation requires collaboration with specialists and advanced technology—particularly from the insurance sector with its deep historical knowledge and access to vast datasets.
• Trade credit insurance supports growth, especially for smaller banks and independents in the challenger market.
________________________________________
Modern Risk Management: Preventing Factoring Fraud Through Workflow Automation
• Fraud prevention starts with verification—but manual processes often fail.
• Automation transforms verification by detecting behavioural anomalies and monitoring payment flows in real-time.
• Effective systems connect anomaly detection with action-oriented workflows.
• As fraud becomes more sophisticated, intelligent automation becomes essential, especially in high-volume environments.
________________________________________
How Seamless Integration Breaks Down Silos in Invoice Finance
• Many stakeholders still operate in silos with disconnected systems, complicated further by regulatory barriers.
• A unified view across receivables is critical. Integrated platforms offering a ‘360° client view’ address this challenge.
• AI is significantly reducing administrative burden (up to 20 per cent) and digitalisation is reshaping the ecosystem.
• Trends to watch: cross-stakeholder data sharing, regulatory flexibility, and cloud-based infrastructure for scalable platforms.
________________________________________
Ensuring Data-Driven Progress in Invoice Finance
• Data fragmentation and lack of comprehensive datasets limit decision-making and regulatory confidence.
• The industry needs better data on fraud and performance to prove its resilience.
• Technology providers offer promising tools—but accuracy and completeness of data remain essential.
• AI enhances human expertise; the future lies in collaboration, not replacement.
________________________________________
Trade Credit Insurance and Receivables Finance
• TCI enables better credit assessments, profit protection, and capital optimisation.
• Success requires: skilled brokers, diversified insurance partners, internal experts, and strong governance.
• Key considerations: legal compliance, geographic diversification, investor contract alignment, and marginal risk awareness.
________________________________________
Is Artificial Intelligence the Future of Factoring?
• AI optimises client evaluation, underwriting, and predicts behaviours and trends.
• Challenges: data protection, compliance (e.g., EU AI Act), demographic bias, and lack of internal expertise.
________________________________________
How Sustainability Goals Are Reshaping Receivables Financing
• Finance can incentivise sustainability by prioritising ESG-compliant businesses.
• Tools include: ESG-linked KPIs, performance-triggered payment incentives, and de-risking for compliant suppliers.
• Fintechs are pivotal, co-developing ESG benchmarks and self-assessment frameworks with corporates.
________________________________________
Factoring in Emerging Markets: A Promising Solution in Turbulent Times
• Mobile banking has grown rapidly, especially in Africa, but SME financing options remain limited.
• Factoring presents a solution but faces hurdles: poor distribution, legal gaps, and lack of credit data.
• Partnerships between software firms and local actors can bridge these gaps and promote factoring adoption.
________________________________________
These exclusive insights and data are only available in the World Factoring Yearbook 2025.
To order your copy and stay updated on the latest global factoring developments, click here.