Bank of China (BOC) is stepping up its support for cross-border commerce, leveraging digital solutions and targeted services for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as global trade dynamics evolve.

Cross-border e-commerce continues to reshape international trade flows, with China's imports and exports in the sector reaching RMB 1.32 trillion ($185 billion) in the first half of 2025, a 5.7% year-on-year increase, according to customs data.

BOC has positioned itself at the center of this trend. In the first half of 2025, the bank's cross-border e-commerce transaction volume climbed 42% year-on-year to RMB 530 billion, while its customer coverage reached 80%. To meet the sector's high-frequency, small-ticket transaction profile, BOC has expanded global settlement and collection services, including launching a one-stop overseas collection platform in Singapore. The service integrates currency conversion, remittances, reconciliation, and fund management, enabling smoother operations for e-commerce exporters.

Beyond e-commerce, BOC reported a 16% increase in cross-border settlement clients and a 17% rise in settlement volumes in the first half of 2025, outpacing national trade growth. In May, the bank introduced a financial service framework addressing five areas: offshore trade, export-to-domestic sales, emerging market expansion, supply chain optimization, and capital market services.

Recent product launches include a digital ocean freight payment service unveiled at the China International Fair for Trade in Services, designed to streamline transactions for shippers, freight forwarders, and exporters. BOC also rolled out an insurance product for enterprises in the low-altitude economy sector, providing risk coverage and financing support across supply chains.

BOC has made SMEs a priority within its trade finance strategy. For example, its Guangdong branch extended credit to an asset-light e-commerce exporter by using customs data to verify trade activity rather than relying on financial statements. In Shanghai, the bank partnered with local authorities to provide working capital loans and currency risk management solutions to an agricultural input trader with seasonal funding needs.

These case studies highlight BOC's adaptive approach: tailoring financing structures to SMEs' operational realities and helping them manage both liquidity and currency volatility.