Qupital Unveils World’s First AI-Driven On-Chain E-Commerce Lending Protocol, Accelerating Web3 Global Trade Finance
Hong Kong-based fintech firm Qupital has launched the world's first AI-driven on-chain e-commerce lending protocol on the Ethereum blockchain. By utilizing USDC for settlement and smart contracts for automated credit monitoring, the platform aims to bridge the US$2.5 trillion SME trade financing gap. The protocol integrates proprietary AI to monitor merchant sales performance in real-time, automatically intercepting cash flows via payment gateway APIs if metrics deviate from established parameters. This shift to on-chain operations replaces manual back-office processes with automated liquidity vaults, providing institutional lenders with real-time proof of reserves and auditability. Qupital, which has processed over US$9.5 billion in cumulative trade financing, has already established an active pipeline of US$100 million to be fulfilled through this new on-chain framework. This development marks a significant institutional move to integrate DeFi rails into global trade finance, enhancing capital efficiency and reducing operational friction for underserved digital merchants. The initiative underscores the growing trend of tokenizing real-world trade assets to provide 24/7 liquidity that traditional banking systems often struggle to deliver.