Amsterdam, 6 March, 2019 –The first estimates for the factoring industry worldwide in 2018 have been announced today by the FCI Secretary General.The global figure gives a significant indication that the industry figures continue in their upward trend and this also applies to the single continents which individually contributed with their share.Compared with the previous year’s 2,598 billion euro, the 2018 estimated volume of 2,730 billion euro represents a growth of over 5%.Europe, the largest contributor representing 66% of the total, with 1,808 billion euro shows  an overall growth of 6%.Volume wise, France (+8%), Italy (+8%). Germany (+5%), Spain (+14%) and Netherlands (+10%) make up for over 60% of the market. Remarkable performance is also shown by Poland (+28%), Cyprus (+27%) and Denmark (+25%).Of the very few minus signs, two relate  to large markets, UK (just short of 318 billion euro: -2%) and Turkey (just over 24 billion: -30%) and certainly in the second case the country is suffering high volatility in their currency and indeed in Turkish Lira the volume is unchanged from previous year. The Asia Pacific region representing 25% of the global with 679 billion euro indicates a growth of 3% over 2017’s 657 billion euro. In 2018, over 507 billion euro relate to Greater China (Mainland China +4%, Hong Kong +14% and Taiwan -38%).Japan is once again on the way up with a nice +32% with a volume just short of 50 billion euro and India + 6% closes at 4.5 billion euro.South and Central America now occupy the third position: a 4% share of the total world factoring volume with 119 billion euro. Argentina (+34%) and Chile (+16%) lead the way, while Brazil and Colombia show negative figures (-6% and -7% respectively). North America, with just over 93 billion euro, remains stable with a 3% share although Canada reports a -3% Africa, the “future” where the product is expected to grow rapidly, adds up to 23 billion euro with a growth of 7% largely thanks to the contribution of the older players, South Africa (+9%) and Egypt (+24%) The FCI Global Factoring Statistics present on an annual basis the key factoring data around the world. They cover domestic and cross-border factoring volume collected from over 350 members in 90 countries. The full final statistical report will be released in May 2019 and will also be made available on the FCI website. About FCIFCI was set up in 1968 as an non-profit global association for factoring companies around the world. Today, FCI has grown into the world's representative factoring network and association with close to 400 members in 90 countries and member transactions representing nearly 90% of the world’s international correspondent factoring volume. Today, FCI is truly the global representative body for the Factoring & Receivables Finance Industry.FCI offers three major areas of activities:CONNECT: the Business network supports cross-border factoring activities through which its members cooperate as export and import factorsEDUCATE: FCI promotes and develops best practices in both domestic and international factoring and related Open Account Finance productsINFLUENCE: FCI promotes and defends the Industry with stakeholders and policy makers worldwidewww.fci.nlfci@fci.nl