Qupital, an AI-driven fintech platform specialising in cross-border e-commerce trade finance, has launched what it describes as the world's first AI-driven on-chain e-commerce lending protocol, combining artificial intelligence, smart contracts and blockchain-based financing to automate trade loan operations.
The protocol brings elements of Decentralised Finance (DeFi) and Real-World Assets (RWA) into cross-border e-commerce lending. It uses USDC deployed through Ethereum smart contracts to provide merchants with access to liquidity around the clock, while Qupital's proprietary AI engine continuously monitors credit exposure based on real-time sales and loan performance.
Under the system, credit exposure can be dynamically adjusted according to predefined sales-to-loan performance parameters. When store-level metrics move outside those parameters, smart contracts can automatically trigger payment gateway APIs to intercept relevant platform cash flows and direct store earnings towards debt obligations and revenue targets.
Qupital said the approach is designed to reduce reliance on manual loan administration, including drawdown verification and settlement processes, while improving capital efficiency and accelerating the movement of funds.
The protocol also provides on-chain proof of reserves and auditability. Active loans are tokenised on the company's Treasury Vault, allowing institutional lenders and partners to verify balances on a real-time, 1:1 basis, according to Qupital.
The company said the system complements rather than replaces conventional banking channels, using blockchain infrastructure to streamline distribution and settlement for cross-border trade finance.
Qupital's launch comes as stablecoins gain attention as a potential infrastructure layer for international commerce. The company cited projections that B2B cross-border stablecoin settlements could reach $5 trillion by 2035, with more than half of cross-border enterprises preparing to adopt stablecoin payment infrastructure.
“Agentic commerce and instant global settlement require financing infrastructure that operates around the clock,” said Winston Wong, Co-Founder and CEO of Qupital. He added that integrating the company's AI risk engine with on-chain infrastructure is intended to reduce operational friction and non-performing loans while supporting its international expansion.
The development highlights an emerging convergence between AI-driven credit assessment, blockchain-based settlement and automated financial execution, as fintech companies explore infrastructure capable of supporting increasingly digital and autonomous forms of global commerce.
