World Bank Group and Banco Santander Partner to Unlock Working Capital and Jobs Across Emerging Markets

Washington, DC, June 23, 2026: The World Bank Group, through its private sector arm – the International Finance Corporation (IFC) – and Banco Santander S.A. today launched a new risk sharing facility designed to scale supply chain finance, drive business growth, and support job creation across emerging markets.

The facility will help extend access to finance to emerging market suppliers that often face limited borrowing options by allowing them to obtain financing based on the credit profile of buyers rather than their own. By improving payment cycles and increasing liquidity, the facility will help businesses invest, grow their operations, and create jobs.

The risk-sharing facility will cover up to $500 million in supply chain finance assets originated globally by Banco Santander S.A. Over the next three years, the partnership is expected to support approximately $1.5 billion in supply chain finance transactions, expanding access to finance for emerging-market suppliers, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs). By unlocking this financing, the facility is expected to help sustain and grow businesses that collectively employ large numbers of workers in developing economies, supporting livelihoods, economic stability, and growth in communities where quality jobs are most needed.

The facility is particularly timely given the increasingly challenging environment facing businesses in emerging markets. Supply chain disruptions, elevated interest rates, and tightening bank liquidity have sharply curtailed the availability of working capital and trade finance - pressures that fall hardest on smaller suppliers with the least financial cushion. In this context, supply chain finance serves as a proven and effective mechanism for helping businesses preserve liquidity, strengthen resilience, and keep goods moving reliably across global markets.

Nathalie Louat, Global Director of Trade and Supply Chain Finance at IFC, said: "Supply chain finance is a critical enabler of global trade and commerce, ensuring that liquidity reaches key businesses and intermediaries precisely when markets face heightened volatility. Through strategic partnerships like this one with Banco Santander, IFC and its partners help sustain supply chains, protect jobs, and support the businesses that communities in emerging markets depend on, strengthening economic resilience and driving growth where it is needed most."

Stefano Sabbadini, Global Head of Private Debt Mobilization at Banco Santander, said: “At Santander, we are committed to using our global platform to support businesses wherever they operate, and that means ensuring that suppliers in emerging markets have access to the financing they need to grow and thrive. Partnering with IFC allows us to go further than we could alone. IFC's deep knowledge of emerging markets, its development mandate, and its ability to mobilize capital make it an invaluable partner in extending the reach of our supply chain finance offering to underserved suppliers, including SMEs."

This facility was developed under IFC's Global Supply Chain Finance Program (GSCF), launched in 2022 as part of IFC's response to growing disruptions in global supply chains. Since its inception, the GSCF has expanded significantly in reach and impact, supporting innovative financing solutions that benefit suppliers and buyers, both international and domestic. Beyond financing, the GSCF also provides advisory support to strengthen the broader ecosystem for supply chain finance. This includes improving legal and regulatory frameworks, building local market infrastructure, and advancing digital capabilities.