The government has announced a mandate to expand the use of the Trade Receivables Discounting System, TReDS, to accelerate payments to micro, small and medium enterprises. The measure is designed to shorten receivable cycles and to strengthen liquidity for suppliers across sectors. Under the proposal, buyers and financiers will route eligible invoices through registered TReDS platforms so that invoices can be discounted and settled faster than under conventional payment terms.

The rule is intended to make cash conversion more predictable for smaller firms that often face long payment delays from larger corporates and public sector purchasers. TReDS platforms will provide a marketplace where financiers and investors can bid to purchase receivables, reducing dependency on traditional bank lending. Faster conversion of invoices into cash is intended to ease working capital constraints and to lower the cost of short term credit for suppliers.

The policy also aims to broaden access to formal credit for firms that are currently reliant on informal financing arrangements. Implementation will rely on strengthened regulatory oversight of TReDS operators and on wider onboarding of buyers and sellers onto digital platforms. Regulators will monitor compliance and will work with industry bodies to ensure interoperability between systems and to reduce onboarding friction.

The mandate will require changes in corporate procurement practices and in internal payment cycles for large buyers to align with electronic settlement processes. The government will provide guidance and support measures to help smaller firms adopt digital invoice financing and to streamline registration on TReDS platforms. Broader uptake of TReDS is intended to accelerate the formalisation of supply chains and to smooth cash flows across tiers of suppliers.