Trade Credit 101 | Back to basics

Trade credit is a critical but often overlooked part of managing business risk, sitting at the intersection of sales, finance, and cash flow. In this episode, we explore how trade credit has evolved into a strategic lever for organizations navigating today’s complex risk environment.

Eefje Van Craen, Lead Strategist for Trade Credit at Moody’s, joins host Alex Pillow to unpack what trade credit really means in a B2B context and why it plays a central role in customer onboarding and risk management. They discuss how trade credit has shifted from a back-office control function to a forward-looking, data-driven discipline that supports growth while protecting cash flow. 

Key topics covered include:

• What trade credit is and why it underpins B2B transactions
• The evolution from “order to cash” to “lead to cash”
• How macroeconomic shocks, from the financial crisis to COVID-19, reshaped trade credit risk management
• The growing importance of forward-looking, integrated risk assessment beyond historical financials
• How data, automation, and emerging technologies like GenAI are influencing the future of trade credit decisions

Additional resources:

• Moody’s Trade Credit landing page
• Trade Credit brochure

To learn more about Moody’s please visit our website or get in touch; we would love to hear from you.