There is little doubt that blockchain technology will change global trade. The  question, however, is how it will impact some of the most intractable issues in trade finance. Last year, U.S.$15.5 trillion of merchandise exports were transported around the world. Up to 80% of global commerce requires trade finance to provide liquidity and risk mitigation. However, inefficiencies in trade finance today mean that many applications go unfunded. This U.S.$1.5 trillion trade finance gap is widest in emerging markets and for small- and medium-sized enterprises. Efforts to address these shortfalls have gained limited traction due to the decentralized nature of trade. In this paper, we review the design of enterprise blockchains to explore how changing the architecture of trade finance could impact the drivers of trade finance gaps. By grounding our analysis in the technical architecture of a live, enterprise blockchain platform, we aim to provide a tangible discussion around the technology. Applying blockchain technology to trade finance – regardless of the top of stack application – will directly impact the flow of information, compliance challenges, and profitability in ways that can contribute to a more inclusive trade finance structure.