Vietnam Joins Top 25 Global Trading Economies with Record $920 Billion Trade Volume in 2025

Gerik

Summary:

Vietnam’s total trade turnover reached a historic $920 billion in 2025, marking a 17% increase from 2024 and officially placing the country among the world’s 25 largest trading economies, driven largely by foreign-invested firms and high-tech exports....

Vietnam Breaks Trade Records and Climbs Global Rankings

Vietnam’s trade sector delivered a major milestone in 2025, as total export-import turnover surged to approximately $920 billion, a nearly 17% increase year-over-year. This record-breaking performance, confirmed by the General Department of Customs, officially elevated Vietnam into the top 25 trading nations globally a position it has long targeted through trade liberalization and export-oriented industrial policies.

For the first time ever, Vietnam crossed the $900 billion threshold in December, underlining the strength and pace of its trade-driven growth strategy. Compared to 2024, the total trade value increased by over $133 billion, with exports rising 18% to $449.41 billion and imports climbing 15.9% to $470.59 billion.

According to World Trade Organization (WTO) data, Vietnam now ranks 21st globally in exports and 20th in imports, reflecting a substantial leap up 11 and 12 positions respectively since 2015.

Trade Surplus Marks 10th Consecutive Year

Despite the rise in imports, Vietnam maintained a trade surplus for the 10th straight year, with a projected surplus of $21.2 billion for 2025. However, this surplus continues to be structurally imbalanced. The foreign direct investment (FDI) sector contributed a $48.2 billion surplus, while the domestic business sector ran a deficit of over $27 billion, highlighting ongoing dependency on export performance by multinational firms.

The FDI sector remained the engine of trade growth, contributing to approximately 99% of the overall increase in trade activity. FDI firms’ total trade value reached $663 billion, up 25% from 2024 and accounting for a dominant 72% share of national trade turnover. Meanwhile, the trade performance of domestic firms stagnated, with turnover hovering at $257 billion, showing minimal growth.

This heavy reliance on foreign-invested enterprises reflects both a strength and a vulnerability. While these firms have powered Vietnam’s ascent in global value chains, particularly in electronics and high-tech manufacturing, the limited contribution of local firms signals a need for deeper domestic industrial upgrading and value chain integration.

High-Tech Goods Continue to Lead Export Expansion

Vietnam’s export growth was anchored by three high-tech categories:

Computers, electronics, and components

Phones and parts

Machinery and equipment

These sectors generated approximately $222 billion in export revenue, accounting for 47% of total exports and contributing 67% of total export growth. Their import counterparts also surged, reaching $221 billion, representing 49% of total imports and nearly 80% of import growth.

The dominance of these segments reflects Vietnam’s deepening integration into regional and global manufacturing networks, particularly in electronics assembly and component production. However, this pattern also reinforces the country's import dependency for upstream inputs and capital goods.

Export and Import Structures Reflect Increased Scale and Diversity

Vietnam recorded 36 out of 45 export categories surpassing $1 billion in value, with eight categories exceeding $10 billion, totaling $319 billion, or 68% of export revenue. On the import side, 49 of 53 categories crossed the $1 billion mark, with eight categories topping $10 billion, representing 63% of import spending.

These figures underscore Vietnam’s maturing trade structure, where a growing number of industries now contribute to billion-dollar flows, reflecting both supply-side diversity and rising domestic demand for raw materials, technology, and consumer goods.

Historic Milestone Underscores Global Trade Integration

Vietnam’s ascent into the top 25 trading economies globally is a milestone that highlights its rapid economic transformation and deepening participation in global supply chains. The record $920 billion trade turnover showcases the resilience and competitiveness of its export base, especially in high-tech manufacturing. However, the heavy concentration of trade in the FDI sector and the widening gap with domestic enterprises point to the need for stronger support for local industry development, innovation, and value-added production.

As Vietnam enters 2026, the challenge will be maintaining this growth momentum while narrowing the dependency on foreign capital and fostering a more balanced and inclusive trade ecosystem. If successful, the country could climb even higher in the global trade hierarchy while strengthening the foundation of its economic autonomy.

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