As importers and exporters head into 2026, trade decision-making is happening in a more volatile policy environment than most international trade professionals have faced in decades. Changing tariff rates have increased uncertainty for businesses trying to price, source and plan ahead. At the same time, renewed geopolitical risk is adding pressure to shipping lanes and supply chains, complicating both costs and lead times.
From a pure scale standpoint, the latest annual release from the U.S. Census Bureau shows 2025 exports of goods and services at $3.4 trillion and imports at $4.3 trillion (BOP basis)—both at record levels—underscoring how central trade remains to the U.S. economy even amid policy turbulence.
In this article, we’ll highlight the top U.S. trading partners based on the most recent trade data from the U.S. Census Bureau and explain the compliance and documentation requirements you need to understand before expanding into these regions. We’ve also written separate articles about exporting to these countries, which we link to below.
In 2025, the United States recorded $5.6 trillion in total goods trade, according to Census. Mexico and Canada remained the two largest U.S. trading partners, followed by China.
Here are the top U.S. trading partners based on total goods trade volume in 2025, along with their share of total U.S. goods trade. These 10 countries collectively account for 62.1% of total U.S. goods trade.
Mexico remains the United States’ largest trading partner, reflecting the deeply integrated North American supply chain created under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Trade continues to be driven by automotive manufacturing, electronics and agriculture, while companies increasingly shift production to Mexico as part of broader “nearshoring” strategies aimed at reducing supply-chain risks.
Canada remains one of the United States’ most stable and significant economic partners. Energy trade continues to dominate the relationship, with crude oil and refined petroleum products moving across the border alongside large volumes of vehicles, machinery and agricultural products under the USMCA framework.
Although China remains one of the United States’ largest trading partners, trade volumes have declined compared with earlier years as tariffs, export controls and broader geopolitical tensions reshape supply chains. Many U.S. companies are diversifying sourcing strategies while continuing to rely on China for electronics, machinery and other manufactured goods.
Taiwan has emerged as one of the fastest-growing U.S. trading partners, driven largely by semiconductor and advanced electronics trade. As global demand for chips continues to expand, Taiwan’s role in supplying critical technology components to the United States remains strategically important.
Germany continues to serve as the United States’ largest trading partner within the European Union. Trade between the two countries is led by automotive manufacturing, industrial machinery, pharmaceuticals and advanced engineering products, reflecting the strong industrial bases of both economies.
Japan remains a key strategic and economic partner in the Indo-Pacific region. Bilateral trade continues to focus on automobiles, machinery, electronics and agricultural products, while the U.S.–Japan Trade Agreement helps facilitate market access for a range of goods.
Vietnam has become an increasingly important U.S. trading partner as companies shift manufacturing operations away from China and into Southeast Asia. Trade between the two countries is largely driven by electronics, apparel, furniture and other consumer goods produced in Vietnam for the U.S. market.
South Korea remains a major partner for the United States in advanced manufacturing, technology and energy. Trade is supported by the U.S.–Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS), with strong flows of semiconductors, automobiles, machinery and petrochemical products.
Switzerland has grown in importance as a U.S. trading partner largely due to pharmaceutical and biotechnology trade. Swiss companies play a major role in supplying high-value medicines and life-science products to the U.S. healthcare market.
The United Kingdom remains one of the United States’ closest economic allies and a major destination for American exports. Trade between the two countries is driven by aerospace, pharmaceuticals, financial services and technology, while policymakers on both sides continue to discuss potential future trade agreements.
The potential rewards of exporting outweigh the challenges exporters may face in many situations. Exporters should identify and cultivate business opportunities while building a strategy to minimize the risks. The best thing about exploring these markets is knowing you don’t need to go it alone. If you’re an exporter interested in exporting, you can get help from in-country allies, including the U.S. Commercial Service offices, trade missions and chambers of commerce.
The first place to go for help is your local and in-country U.S. Commercial Service office. The Commercial Service’s in-country offices offer U.S. exporters business partners—boots on the ground in the country—and include representation by an agent, distributor or partner who can provide essential local knowledge and contacts critical for your success. You can learn more about in-country offices in our article, Tapping into the U.S. Commercial Service's In-Country Offices.
DECs across the U.S. help exporters by supporting trade and services that strengthen individual companies, stimulate U.S. economic growth and create jobs. DEC members also serve as mentors to new exporters and provide advice to small companies interested in exporting.
Sponsored by state and local trade offices as well as commercial service offices, trade missions are a great way to meet new business contacts and network.
The ITA is an excellent resource to help you combat trade problems. ITA staff members are experts in advocating for U.S. businesses of all sizes. They customize their services to help solve trade dilemmas as efficiently as possible. The ITA makes it easy to report a trade barrier, even allowing you to submit your report online.
Chambers of commerce may be a resource when exporting to these countries. You can learn more about various chambers and how they can help smooth the way for your export activities in our article, The Chamber of Commerce Role in Exporting.
Understanding export documentation requirements is critical before exporting to a new country. Documents you need to export from the U.S. will vary depending on your products, but may include:
You must be concerned with complying with export regulations no matter where you ship. Don’t take export compliance lightly! You need to understand what is required of you and what you risk if you don’t do your job in complying with those regulations.
The first step in ensuring export compliance is determining who has jurisdiction over your goods: is it the U.S. Department of Commerce under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) or the State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC)?
If your goods fall under the jurisdiction of the Commerce Department, which most products do, you must determine if your export requires authorization from the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS, part of the Commerce Department). To do so you need to answer the following questions:
There are three ways to classify your products for export controls: You can self-classify your products using tools like Shipping Solutions Product Classification Software (free trial), submit a SNAP-R request for a ruling, or rely on the product vendor to provide the information.
By classifying your product correctly, you’ll be protecting yourself from severe fines, penalties and even jail time.
Next, companies must use the ECCN codes and reasons for control to determine whether or not there are any restrictions for exporting their products to specific countries. Once they know why their products are controlled, exporters should refer to the Commerce Country Chart in the EAR to determine if a license is required.
Although a relatively small percentage of all U.S. exports and re-exports require a BIS license, virtually all exports and many re-exports to embargoed destinations and countries designated as supporting terrorist activities require a license. Countries fitting that bill are Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Sudan. Part 746 of the EAR describes embargoed destinations and refers to certain additional controls imposed by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the Treasury Department.
Shipping Solutions Professional Export Documentation and Compliance Software includes an Export Compliance Module that uses the ECCN code for your product(s) and the destination country to tell you if an export license is required. If indicated, you must apply to BIS for an export license through the online Simplified Network Application Process Redesign (SNAP-R) before you can export your products. Learn more about export license determination by watching this video:
There are export license exceptions, like low-value or temporary exports, that allow you to export or re-export, under stated conditions, items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) that would otherwise require a license. These license exceptions cover items that fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Commerce, not items controlled by the State Department or some other agency.
Surprise! You may be an exporter without even knowing it! Deemed exports, or the disclosure of information or services rather than an actual product, is an important issue to pay attention to when exporting. A deemed export occurs when technology or source code (except encryption and object source code, which is separately addressed in the EAR under 734.2(b)(9)), is released to a foreign national within the United States.
Sharing technology, reviewing blueprints, conducting tours of facilities and other information disclosures are considered potential exports under the deemed export rule and should be handled accordingly. You can learn how to apply this principle here.
Restricted party lists (also called denied party lists) are lists of organizations, companies or individuals that various U.S. agencies—and other foreign governments—have identified as parties that one can’t do business with.
There are several reasons why a person or company may be added to a restricted party list. For example, they may be a terrorist organization or affiliated with such an organization; they may have a history of corrupt business practices; or they may otherwise pose a threat to national security.
Restricted party screening (or denied party screening) refers to the process in which a company checks a potential customer or business partner against one or more restricted party lists to ensure they are not doing business with a restricted party.
The primary restricted party lists in the United States are published by the Department of Commerce, Department of State and Department of Treasury. However, several other agencies produce lists as well. The U.S. International Trade Administration hosts a Consolidated Screening Tool on their website that allows you to scan companies, organizations and individuals against these primary lists as well as some of the other denied party lists. These agencies recommend that companies perform restricted party screening periodically and repeatedly throughout the movement of goods in the supply chain.
When exporting or reexporting U.S. goods, it’s imperative you check every restricted party list every time you export. If not, you could face the following penalties:
If you’re considering exporting, Shipping Solutions Export Documentation and Compliance Software can help you quickly create the necessary documents and stay compliant with export regulations. The software eliminates redundant data entry, so you don’t need to keep entering the same information over and over again on each of the forms. Not only does Shipping Solutions save you time, it improves the accuracy of your paperwork because the same information appears on each of the forms.
In addition, Shipping Solutions software allows you to submit that same information—also known as Electronic Export Information (EEI)—to the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) for your Automated Export System (AES) filings without having to key in all the information again on the ACE portal. And it uses that same information to run restricted party screenings and checks to see if an export license is required.
Register for a free demo of the Shipping Solutions software to see how it can revolutionize the way you’re currently creating your export paperwork and meeting your export compliance responsibilities.
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