NatWest uses Cleareye.ai to automate trade finance checks

NatWest is rolling out Cleareye.ai software to automate checks of trade finance documents, verify compliance with International Chamber of Commerce rules and run AI-driven trade-based money laundering (TBML) screening. The system will analyse documentary evidence and flag potential financial-crime risks in international trade transactions.

The software will validate bills of lading, invoices and letters of credit against ICC rules and perform TBML analysis on documentary records. The bank expects the system to replace a large share of manual reviews that are common in transactions involving multiple counterparties and large cross-border payments.

Michael Gilham, trade product lead for commercial and institutional customers at NatWest, commented: “The technology will help its business customers trade in foreign markets with greater speed and certainty. It will also strengthen protection against fraud and financial crime by using innovative technology to enable us to provide better service to our customers.” NatWest described the rollout as part of efforts to build operational resilience, adopt advanced technologies and meet regulatory expectations in global trade.

The bank reported that 2025 saw AI used at scale internally: software engineers generated about 35% of the bank’s code with AI tools, all 60,000 staff were given access to AI productivity software, and the firm recorded thousands of human hours saved. NatWest began a collaboration with OpenAI last year and plans further AI integration across its operations.

Cleareye.ai is already in use at other large UK banks. Lloyds Bank signed an agreement with the firm in 2024 to automate checks of both digital and paper trade documentation, reflecting growing demand for automation in trade finance back offices.

Industry data shows rising AI-driven productivity in financial services. A 2025 survey of financial institutions found 59% of respondents reported AI-related productivity improvements over the prior 12 months, up from 32% a year earlier. The same survey showed 21% of firms view AI as driving business growth, compared with 8% in 2024, and roughly one-third reported improved customer experiences and deeper customer insights.

Research points to potential labour impacts from broader AI adoption. A study by Zopa and Juniper Research estimated generative AI could save 187 million labour hours, mainly in back-office roles, and projected up to 27,000 jobs could be displaced by 2030. Separately, Commerzbank announced plans to reduce about 3,000 roles-around 8% of its workforce-while investing €600m in AI over four years and forecasting additional value from those investments from 2030.

Trade finance covers the instruments and procedures that support cross-border commerce and protect buyers and sellers from payment and delivery risks. Banks state that automating document checks can speed up transactions and tighten controls at points where large payments and complex paperwork create opportunities for fraud or laundering. NatWest’s deployment aims to digitise and scale checks that were traditionally manual.