essCert

What essCert does

essCert is a cloud-based digital certification platform operated by ICE Digital Trade, a division of publicly traded Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE). The platform enables Chambers of Commerce, Government Authorities, exporters and freight forwarders to issue and receive electronic Certificates of Origin (eCOs) and related trade documents — including preferential and non-preferential eCOs, EUR.1, ATR.1, EU/EC Certificates, Arab Certificates and USP Form A — replacing paper-based workflows with electronic review, signing, stamping and return. Built on AWS infrastructure and launched in its current form in May 2018 following the consolidation of acquired platforms eCertify and TradeCert, essCert is natively integrated with the ICC CO Accreditation Chain and multiple payment processors (Stripe, Beanstream/Bambora, Sagepay, Realex), and is rolling out Open APIs for ERP/TMS, chamber CRM/accounting, and Government Single Window integration.

The company serves two primary customer segments: (i) 350+ Chambers of Commerce and Governmental Authorities across 18 countries that adopt essCert as their digital certification system and connect it to their CRM and accounting platforms, and (ii) 60,000+ exporters and freight forwarders that apply for and receive trade documents either directly or through chamber referrals. A secondary ecosystem of ERP, TMS and CTRM software providers integrates with essCert APIs to embed CO submission into enterprise workflows. Distribution is channel-led through the chamber network, supplemented by enterprise field sales, live demos, free trials (essCert Express) and industry partnerships with ICC and the World Chambers Federation.

Revenue is generated through two streams: per-document processing fees charged to chambers and certifying bodies for the 75,000+ documents processed monthly (750,000+ annually), and subscription/platform fees from chambers and government authorities for access to the digital application, accounting modules, verification tools and multi-payment options. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with a freemium trial entry point for chambers. Office footprint spans Valletta (Malta, headquarters), Athens (global Customer Success and Marketing hub), Singapore (APAC regional office) and Kolkata (India representative office). The platform is supported by an upcoming ICE Certify product expected to broaden the addressable market beyond CO certification into a wider portfolio of digital trade services chambers can resell to their members.

Name

essCert

Legal name

ICE Digital Trade

Website

https://esscert.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

essCert is a cloud-based digital certification platform, operated by ICE Digital Trade (a subsidiary of NYSE-listed Intercontinental Exchange), that enables Chambers of Commerce and Government Authorities to issue electronic Certificates of Origin and related trade documents to 60,000+ exporters and forwarders across 18 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Document Certification Software

NAICS

Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518210), Document Preparation Services (56141)

SIC

Services-Computer Processing & Data Preparation (7374)

akta.pro primary industry

Export Customs Clearance (Export Declarations & AES/EEI) (TLACAFAB)

Keywords

• Electronic certificates of origin
• Trade document certification
• Digital trade compliance
• Chamber of commerce software
• Paperless export documentation

Headquarters

HQ city

Galway

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Document Processing Fees: essCert charges Chambers and Certifying Bodies for document processing. The platform processes over 75,000 documents per month across its network of 350+ chambers in 18 countries, generating revenue per document processed.
2. Subscription/Platform Fees: Chambers of Commerce and Government Authorities adopt essCert as a digital application and certification solution. The platform offers various features including multi-payment options, accounting modules, and verification tools that chambers pay to access.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

essCert is a cloud-based digital certification platform that enables Chambers of Commerce and Government Authorities to issue electronic Certificates of Origin (eCOs) and related trade documents (EUR.1, ATR.1, EU/EC Certificates, Arab Certificates, USP Form A, Commercial Invoices) to Exporters and Freight Forwarders. The platform replaces manual, paper-based certification with electronic review, signing, stamping and return of certificates, and is natively integrated with the ICC CO Accreditation Chain, multiple payment processors, and ERP/TMS/CTRM systems via Open APIs.

Product overview

essCert is a digital certification platform operated by ICE Digital Trade (a subsidiary of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.) that provides electronic Certificates of Origin (eCOs) and related trade document certification. The core product essCert digitizes origin, movement & trade document processing for Chambers of Commerce, Government Authorities, Exporters, and Freight Forwarders. The platform encompasses multiple document types including Certificates of Origin (various country-specific, Arab, EU/EC, GSP Form A), Movement Certificates (ATR.1, EUR-MED, EUR.1), and Free Trade Agreement certificates. essCert is supplemented by Open APIs for ERP/TMS integration and upcoming ICE Certify for enhanced user experience. The platform serves 350+ Chambers across 18 countries processing 75,000+ documents monthly.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ICE Certify: An upcoming platform to be launched that will offer Chambers of Commerce and other Certifiers the ability to generate revenue from offering other value-adding digital trade solutions, and will offer Exporters and Forwarders a modern, intuitive user experience.

Products and services

• essCert Platform Cloud-based digital certification platform for electronic governmental and quasi-governmental certification of trade documents, including Preferential and Non-Preferential electronic Certificates of Origin (eCOs), EUR.1, ATR.1, EU/EC Certificates of Origin, Arab Certificates, USP Form A and supporting documents such as Commercial Invoices. Used by Chambers of Commerce and Government Authorities to issue certificates and by Exporters and Freight Forwarders to apply for and receive them online.
• essCert Open APIs Open API layer enabling exporters, forwarders, chambers, accounting systems, ERP/TMS/CTRM providers, and government authorities to integrate essCert certification workflows directly into their internal systems.
• essCert Express (Free Chamber/Government Trial) Free trial version of essCert offered to Chambers of Commerce and Certifying Bodies to evaluate the platform before committing to a paid license.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 50% reduction in processing costs
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• DigiChamberscoreTechnology or Integration · 28 September 2017Partnership enables essDOCS exporter and freight forwarder customers to apply for electronic Certificates of Origin in Belgium and Luxembourg. essDOCS integrated with the DigiChambers solution to connect all Chambers of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg to the platform.
• ICC CO Accreditation ChaincoreTechnology or IntegrationessCert is fully integrated with the ICC CO Accreditation Chain, enabling Customs Authorities, Counterparties and other trade stakeholders to verify the authenticity of COs issued using essCert.
• StripesupportingTechnology or IntegrationNative integration with Stripe payment processor for handling online payments from exporters and forwarders.
• Beanstream/BamborasupportingTechnology or IntegrationNative integration with Beanstream/Bambora payment processor for online payment processing.
• SagepaysupportingTechnology or IntegrationNative integration with Sagepay payment processor for handling chamber and exporter payments.
• RealexsupportingTechnology or IntegrationNative integration with Realex payment processor for online payment processing.
• Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLCCI adopted essCert in May 2022 and reached 95% digital certification within 10 months. The chamber processes certificates for over 8,000 members representing Latvia's principal issuers of non-preferential Certificates of Origin.
• South Australian Business ChambercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSouth Australian Business Chamber uses essCert for digital export documentation. The chamber has transitioned from 70% manual processing to predominantly digital operations.
• Lithuanian Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Crafts (LCCIC)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLCCIC went live with essCert covering all five nationwide chambers: Panevezys CCIC, Siauliai CCIC, Klaipeda CCIC, Kaunas CCIC, and Vilnius CCIC.
• Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (CCIS)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCCIS achieved close to 80% electronic certification with essCert, covering the main chamber and 12 regional chambers in Slovenia.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Traydstream: Trade finance compliance and document checking platform using machine learning to automate scrutiny of trade documents including certificates of origin. Adjacent competitor addressing document validation workflow that complements essCert's issuance platform.
• Wave BL: Blockchain-based electronic bill of lading platform enabling paperless trade document transfer. Overlaps with essCert on digital trade documents but with a focus on bills of lading rather than certificates of origin; represents an emerging alternative technology stack.
• CargoX: Blockchain-based platform for transferring original electronic bills of lading. Competes with essCert in adjacent digital trade document space, using a blockchain-first architecture and targeting freight forwarders and shippers.

Direct peers

• Bolero International: UK-based electronic trade documentation platform enabling digital bills of lading, certificates of origin, and letters of credit. Operates as a multi-bank sponsored service for global trade digitization, overlapping directly with essCert's electronic certification mandate.
• Enigio: Swedish provider of digital trade document solutions including electronic bills of lading and origin certificates. Directly competes with essCert in digitizing trade documents for exporters, forwarders, and banks, using similar cloud-based SaaS delivery and API integration approaches.
• TradeTrust: Singapore government-backed (IMDA/Accredify) platform for electronic transferable records and trade documents. Directly competes with essCert in the digital Certificates of Origin and electronic bills of lading space, leveraging state endorsement for adoption.

Others

• Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA): Industry standards body developing interoperability standards for digital trade documents across major container carriers. Represents a potential standards-setter that could either compete with or enable essCert's platform positioning.
• ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) Digital Standards Initiative: ICC runs the CO Accreditation Chain that essCert integrates with. ICC's broader Digital Standards Initiative shapes the regulatory and standards landscape for electronic trade documents, acting as both an enabling partner and a potential competitor in setting platform direction.

Broad incumbents

• Komgo: Trade finance digitization network founded by major commodity trading houses and banks (including Shell, BNP, ING). Addresses digital trade documents and trade finance workflows that overlap with essCert's broader ICE Digital Trade vision, though primarily trade finance-led.
• Contour (Voltron): Enterprise blockchain network for digitizing letters of credit and trade finance documents. Operates as a broader incumbent in trade document digitization, with overlapping capability in making paper-based trade instruments electronic.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/esscert
• Facebookfacebook.com/esscert
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/esscert-com

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about essCert