TWIN Foundation launches to modernise global trade infrastructure - Trade Treasury Payments

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TWIN Foundation launches to modernise global trade infrastructure

The TWIN Foundation was formally introduced at the AfCFTA Digital Trade Forum in Lusaka, signalling the start of the initiative’s operational phase.

Built on distributed ledger technology and developed through a cross-sector consortium, TWIN aims to address long-standing inefficiencies in cross-border trade by enabling secure, real-time data sharing across supply chain actors. The Foundation will oversee the initiative’s technical development, standards, and ecosystem growth, with a focus on delivering TWIN as a digital public good.

The Foundation is backed by six founding partners: the IOTA Foundation, TradeMark Africa, the World Economic Forum, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation, and the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade. 

Speaking about the launch, Sir Tony Blair said, “TWIN is a digital infrastructure for global trade built on emerging technologies. It has been tested, it works, and it can make trade faster, cheaper, more transparent, and more inclusive than ever before.”

Unlike previous efforts in trade digitisation that have been constrained by fragmented ownership or narrow commercial interests, the TWIN Foundation is structured as a non-profit with a governance-first mandate. Its core focus areas include custodianship of the open-source infrastructure, promotion of interoperability standards, and knowledge-sharing across public and private stakeholders.

In a post on LinkedIn, Tim Stekkinger, Head of the TradeTech Global Initiative at the World Economic Forum, said, “It’s a privilege to contribute to this transformative, impartial, not-for-profit Trade Data Exchange platform — designed to make global trade more digital, transparent, and inclusive, with a strong focus on empowering small and medium-sized enterprises.”

What is TWIN?

The Trade Worldwide Information Network (TWIN) is an open-source digital infrastructure designed to support secure, decentralised data exchange across global supply chains. Developed on the IOTA protocol, TWIN enables real-time, verifiable sharing of trade data among public and private sector actors. Its aim is to reduce friction in international trade by replacing siloed, paper-based systems with interoperable digital processes.

TWIN functions as a foundational layer for building trade ecosystems that are scalable, inclusive, and standards-aligned. It supports the digitisation of key trade documents (such as certificates of origin, health certificates, and customs declarations) while enabling features such as decentralised identity, document tokenisation, and smart contract-based compliance.

Technically, TWIN’s architecture is modular, API-driven and integrates emerging frameworks like Gaia-X and IDSA. It is not a single platform, but a base layer on which governments, firms, and developers can build, which allows for local customisation without compromising global interoperability.

Several real-world deployments already rely on TWIN infrastructure, including:

• TLIP (Trade Logistics Information Pipeline): Focused on East Africa, TLIP uses TWIN to facilitate more efficient trade corridor management and data-sharing between border authorities and traders.
• RESULD: A supply chain optimisation initiative linking Kenya, the Netherlands, and the UK. It uses TWIN to support traceability and ESG compliance in fresh produce logistics.
• UK Border Demonstrations: A pilot led by the UK Cabinet Office to improve border operations with the EU. Over 900 consignments were tracked using TWIN’s real-time data capabilities.
• Virtual Watch Tower: A decentralised coordination layer for logistics oversight, built on TWIN middleware.

In practice, the initiative aims to reduce trade frictions and increase SME participation. Founding member statements suggest expected outcomes include processing times cut from days to hours, cost savings of up to 80%, and material improvements in operational efficiency across borders.

By offering a common data layer for global trade, the TWIN Foundation seeks to reduce duplication and strengthen trust across supply chains. In doing so, it aims to provide the underlying infrastructure for a new generation of trade tools and services, particularly in markets where the benefits of digital trade have yet to be fully realised.