Intermediaries are paid by the people whose deal they make possible. How the fee is set, who pays it and how it is protected should be clear before any names are exchanged.
How commissions are set
- Per tonne: usual for bulk agricultural products and metals, for example a fixed USD amount per metric tonne shipped.
- Percentage of invoice value: usual for fuels, chemicals, manufactured goods and precious metals.
- Per shipment, paid on payment: commission is normally earned only when the buyer pays for each delivered lot. A fee "on signing" or "on issuing the bank instrument" is unusual.
Who pays
| Model | How it works | Effect on price |
|---|---|---|
| Seller-side commission | The seller's price already includes the fee and the seller pays the intermediaries | Buyer sees one all-in price |
| Buyer-side commission or markup | Intermediaries add their fee on top of the seller's net price | Buyer pays seller's price plus the markup |
| Split | A total fee divided between the seller's side and the buyer's side, often 50/50 | Depends on which side's price is quoted |
What broker offer sheets commonly quote
There is no official commission rate. As a reference, offer sheets circulating in 2026 that we have reviewed typically showed:
| Product group | Total commission quoted | Common split |
|---|---|---|
| Grains, pulses, oilseeds, edible oils, sugar | About USD 10 per MT | Half seller side, half buyer side |
| Poultry and meat | About USD 50 per MT | Half and half |
| Base metals (aluminium, copper, lead, steel) | About USD 50 per MT | Half and half |
| Fuels, bitumen, crude, chemicals, minerals, precious metals | About 2% of value | 1% and 1% |
A total that eats much of the producer's margin is a sign of too many intermediaries. On large volumes, real producers rarely accept chains of more than one or two introducers.
NCNDA: non-circumvention, non-disclosure
An NCNDA stops the parties you introduce from bypassing you and protects confidential information. It is only as strong as the law and the arbitration clause behind it, and as your proof of who introduced whom.
IMFPA: irrevocable master fee protection agreement
An IMFPA lists every intermediary, the fee per tonne or percentage, and the bank accounts, and instructs the paying party (usually the seller) or its bank to pay the fees with each shipment. It is signed after or with the SPA. Banks will only act on it if the paying party has instructed them to, and many banks decline to administer broker fees at all.
Practical protection
- Sign a fee agreement with your own principal before introducing anyone
- Introduce by email with all parties copied and keep the record
- Name the governing law and arbitration seat in every agreement
- Never pay a fee to receive an offer, a procedure, a "POP" or a bank instrument
TradeScout24 Trade Desk · Sources: ICC, "Traders warned about non-existent ICC instruments" and ICC Model Occasional Intermediary Contract; offer sheets reviewed by TradeScout24 (2026) · General information, not legal advice · Last reviewed 25 Oct 2026