Visa, Airport Authority Hong Kong and Shanghai Commercial Bank Pilot Smart Working Capital Solution to Digitise Supply Chain Finance in Hong Kong

08/05/2025

  • The pilot pioneered a smart payment system using live cargo data, eliminating manual delays in trade finance while enhancing efficiency, security, and cash flow for SME freight forwarders.
  • Marking an industry first, the inaugural transaction was completed at Hong Kong International Airport—the world's busiest air cargo hub1 —setting a new standard for digital finance in logistics.


Visa, a world leader in digital payments, has joined forces with Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) and Shanghai Commercial Bank to launch an industry-first pilot aimed at transforming B2B payment flow for SME freight forwarders. The pilot’s inaugural transaction was successfully completed at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), a leading global air cargo hub, marking a major milestone in Visa’s strategy to advance seamless, secure supply chain payments.

Focusing on co-loading payments, a business practice where multiple freight forwarders collaborate to pool and consolidate shipments to optimise cost and airline capacity, the pilot introduces a commercial card-based working capital solution, enabling real-time, pre-authorised payments backed by verified cargo data. This effectively addresses industry pain points such as delayed payments, fraud risk, and manual reconciliation, while enhancing efficiency, security, and cash flow for SMEs in the air cargo sector. 

The pilot lays the groundwork for a smarter logistics infrastructure, enabling Visa to explore further innovations and partnerships that meet the demands of businesses of all sizes engaged in cross-border trade with greater agility and trust.


Pioneering a Digital-First Supply Chain Finance Ecosystem

As global trade becomes increasingly digital, data-driven payments are critical for a more transparent and scalable supply chain finance system. The new payment system backs every transaction with a reliable, tamper-proof source of truth, eliminating potential chargebacks. This offers a secure way to validate service completion, particularly crucial for complex arrangements involving multiple parties.

Key innovations include:

  • Alternative Data for Credit Assessment: Leveraging historical cargo and payment data from trusted sources such as AAHK’s HKIA Cargo Data Platform to enable smarter, data-driven lending decisions.
  • Accessible Working Capital Solution Powered by Commercial Cards: Extending payment terms for buyers (up to 85 days in Days Payable Outstanding) while reducing sellers’ Days Sales Outstanding to as few as 3 days, improving cash flow for SMEs.
  • Real-Time Shipment Verification: Utilising live cargo data from AAHK’s HKIA Cargo Data Platform to confirm service deliveries, ensuring payments are released only upon verification, thereby mitigating fraud and disputes.


“Together with our partners, we are helping SMEs to unlock liquidity, streamline reconciliation, and give them greater control over cash flow by linking verified cargo data with financial flows,” said Paulina Leong, General Manager of Visa Hong Kong and Macau. “This pilot marks a significant milestone in driving efficiency through payment innovation along the supply chain—a powerful example of Hong Kong’s leadership as a global hub.”

"As the world's busiest cargo airport, we are committed to enhancing the industry’s competitiveness by taking the lead in driving digitalisation of the air cargo supply chain, " said Irene Lau, General Manager, Aviation Logistics (Hong Kong), Airport Authority Hong Kong. "By integrating digital payment solutions with our HKIA Cargo Data Platform, we are enabling faster, more transparent and secure trade flows, and inducing more business opportunities to Hong Kong air cargo industry players under effective risk management. This initiative aligns with our long-term strategy to build a cross-sector global digital trade ecosystem, so as to reinforce HKIA’s leading position as an international air cargo hub, bolstering global trade and driving economic growth of Hong Kong."

"As the banking partner in this pilot, we harness real-time cargo data to verify delivery, facilitating pre-authorised payments by the bank that significantly reduce payment uncertainty and mitigate the risk of cross-border trade disputes. Our solution creates a win-win situation for both buyers and sellers, enabling buyers to enjoy a payment-free period of up to 56 days, while sellers benefit from reduced accounts receivable turnaround times, thereby enhancing their operational capabilities and cash flow management," said Ryan Fung, Deputy Chief Executive, Chief of Retail & Digital Strategy, Shanghai Commercial Bank. “This programme reflects our commitment to technological innovation, financial empowerment and our ongoing support for the Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s Commercial Data Interchange (CDI) initiative, helping to build a smarter, more connected trade finance ecosystem in Hong Kong.”

“Access to timely payments and financing has long posed a challenge for co-loading freight forwarders, particularly in the dynamic and multi-faceted logistics sector,” said Rex Lai, Director, Forward by Norman Limited. “This innovative solution offers us greater flexibility in receiving and sending funds, with real-time visibility and the assurance that payments will be released promptly upon service verification. It’s a breakthrough not only in improving cash flow but also fostering trust throughout the logistics chain. It enables us to pursue more opportunities with new clients and service providers globally, while minimising risk.”

“We are thrilled with the innovative payment and financing program developed with Visa, Shanghai Commercial Bank, and Hong Kong Airport Authority. As a freight forwarding company, this solution has significantly reduced our accounts receivable risks by leveraging invoice and flight data to secure payments,” said Raymond Wong, Group CEO, NAF Logistics Group. “The seamless integration and reliable credit card issuance have enhanced our financial stability and customer trust. It is a highly commendable initiative.”

 

Visa, Airport Authority Hong Kong have joined forces to pilot a smart working capital solution, streamlining B2B payment flow for freight forwarders at Hong Kong International Airport, transforming the broader supply chain ecosystem.

 

The solution enables faster, more predictable payments for co-loaders like Forward by Norman Limited, while providing main freight forwarders such as NAF Logistics Group with enhanced transparency and operational efficiency—powered by Visa's payment network, Shanghai Commercial Bank's commercial card, and Airport Authority Hong Kong’s HKIA Cargo Data Platform.
 

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1 HKIA Wins Top Spot as World’s Busiest Cargo Airport in 2024.


About Visa

Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.