Resources
Guides for trading with confidence
Plain-English guides to verification, payments, escrow and shipping, and the trade terms you will come across.
Guides
Start here
Short reads that answer the questions businesses ask us most.
Guide · 13 Oct 2026 · 1 min read
The documents you need to open a business account
Verifying your business takes about 15 minutes when you have the right documents to hand. Here is what to prepare.
Guide · 13 Oct 2026 · 1 min read
How escrow protects both sides of a trade
When two businesses trade for the first time, someone has to go first. Escrow removes the gamble.
Guide · 13 Oct 2026 · 1 min read
Why we verify every business on Tradelynz
Verification is why buyers can trust suppliers they have never met. Here is what we check and why.
Guide · 13 Oct 2026 · 1 min read
Incoterms in plain English
The three-letter terms that decide who pays for what, and when the risk moves from seller to buyer.
Glossary
Trade terms, explained
The words you will meet in contracts, shipping papers and compliance checks.
- Bill of lading
- The document a carrier issues for goods shipped by sea. It is a receipt for the goods, evidence of the contract of carriage and, when negotiable, a document of title.
- Certificate of origin
- A document stating where goods were produced. Customs use it to set duties and to decide whether a trade agreement applies.
- Customs clearance
- Getting goods approved by customs to leave or enter a country, including the declarations and any duties due.
- Escrow
- An arrangement where funds are held until agreed conditions, such as delivery, are met.
- Exchange rate
- The price of one currency in another. Every Tradelynz quote shows the rate you get.
- Incoterms
- Standard trade terms from the International Chamber of Commerce that set out who pays for what and when the risk passes from seller to buyer.
- KYB
- Know your business. The checks that confirm a business is real and registered, and who owns and controls it.
- KYC
- Know your customer. The checks that confirm a person is who they say they are.
- Letter of credit
- A bank's promise to pay a seller once they present documents that meet agreed conditions.
- Packing list
- A list of what is in each package of a shipment, used by carriers, customs and the buyer.
- PEP
- Politically exposed person. Someone in a prominent public role, or their close family and associates, who needs extra checks.
- Pro forma invoice
- A preliminary invoice sent before goods ship, setting out what will be supplied and at what price.
- RFQ
- Request for quote. A buyer's request for prices from suppliers for a specific product, quantity and delivery.
- Sanctions screening
- Checking businesses and people against government lists of those it is illegal to trade with.
- Ultimate beneficial owner
- A person who ultimately owns or controls a business, directly or through other companies.
Questions
Common questions
Who can open a Tradelynz account?
Registered businesses. We are starting with businesses in Ghana, and every business is verified before it can trade.
How long does verification take?
The application takes about 15 minutes with your documents ready. We email you as soon as there is a decision.
What does Tradelynz cost?
You see the cost of every transaction before you approve it. Talk to us for pricing that fits your volumes.
Can my whole team use one account?
Yes. Invite your team, give each person a role and set approval rules for payments.