DF Deutsche Forfait will launch its first trade finance fund before the end of Q2.

The export receivables fund will be the first in a series of trade finance-related funds that will be launched by the group.

This first fund will initially amount to approximately €50mnn and will reflect a mix of trade finance transactions weighted by regions. “Especially in the Gulf states and the Middle East in general we have identified particularly strong interest in our new, alternative investment product, which offers an attractive risk/return profile,” says Marina Attawar, member of the board of management at the DF Group.

The Dubai-based wholly-owned DF subsidiary Deutsche Kapital Limited (DKL) will be responsible for asset management and marketing of the trade finance funds. Newly-appointed CEO Dino Skandalis tells GTR that the group is in “fairly advanced discussions with a number of white-label partners and investors” for the launch.

DKL obtained the last outstanding licence approval from the Dubai Financial Services Authority two weeks ago.

With investors across the world in search of assets with a higher return than government and corporate bonds, while also preferring real goods transactions, the DF Group believes that its fund will grow in popularity.

“The DF Group sees itself in a promising position to recruit entirely new investor groups who have so far had no access to the asset class of foreign trade or trade receivables. Institutional investors have indicated great interests, as have family offices and asset managers,” says a statement issued by the company.