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 that you need to understand before expanding into these regions. We’ve also written separate articles about exporting to each of these countries, which we link to below.
Top 10 U.S. Trading Partners
In 2024, these 10 trading partners accounted for a significant portion of U.S. trade. Unsurprisingly, Mexico, Canada and China continue to dominate, collectively representing a substantial share of total trade volume. As we move through 2025, many are watching closely to see how these figures might shift. With a new administration signaling significant tariffs on these key trading partners, how will the list for 2025 look different?
Here are the top U.S. trading partners based on total trade volume (exports plus imports) through November 2024, the most-recent data available, along with their share of total trade. These 10 countries collectively account for 64.5% of U.S. trade.
1. Mexico: $776.0 billion (15.9%)
Despite a sometimes contentious relationship with the U.S., Mexico holds many opportunities for U.S. trade. Leading sectors for U.S. exports and investments include electronics, vehicles, fuels, minerals, plastics, machinery, agriculture and agricultural products (including corn, soybeans, dairy, pork, and poultry meat).
2. Canada: $699.6 billion (14.3%)
An excellent economic partner to the U.S., and (for now) trade is made easier by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Leading sectors for U.S. exports and investments include aerospace and defense, agriculture, automotive, medical devices, renewable energy (including hydro, wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, and marine energy), and information technology.
3. China: $532.4 billion (10.9%)
An undeniable force in international trade but its relationship with the U.S. is filled with growing tension and uncertainty, posing challenges for U.S. exporters and importers.
4. Germany: $217.1 billion (4.4%)
An important market for U.S. companies looking to build their European and worldwide expansion strategies. Leading sectors for U.S. exports and investments include cybersecurity, ICT/software, digital services, consulting services, IoT/AI, green technologies, smart/safer cities, smart energy/renewables/storage, healthcare/medical devices, digital health solutions, and safety/security technologies.
5. Japan: $208.9 billion (4.3%)
The U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement went into effect in 2020. Leading sectors for U.S. exports and investments include natural gas liquids, pharmaceutical preparations, meat and poultry, industrial machines, medicinal equipment, civilian aircraft, engines and parts, and corn.
6. South Korea: $180.8 billion (3.7%)
A key trading partner for U.S. semiconductors and other high-tech equipment. Leading sectors for U.S. exports and investments include aerospace, defense industry equipment, energy/carbon neutrality initiatives, information and communication technologies, entertainment and media, medical equipment and devices, specialty chemicals, travel and tourism, air pollution control, construction services, cosmetics, education services, manufacturing technology and smart factories, and agriculture.
7. Taiwan: $144.9 billion (3.0%)
A key U.S. partner in the Indo-Pacific. Leading sectors for U.S. exports and investments include commercial drones with military applications, electric power equipment and energy, ICT & telecommunications equipment, machinery and tools, medical devices, education, franchising, and travel and tourism. For agriculture-related products, the best prospects for U.S. exports include soybeans, beef and beef products, corn, wheat, and fresh fruit.
8. Vietnam: $136.5 billion (2.8%)
One of the 10 countries that comprise the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Leading sectors for U.S. exports and investments include telecommunications, information technology, power generation, transportation infrastructure construction, environmental project management and technology, aviation, defense, and education.
9. United Kingdom: $134.6 billion (2.8%)
A close ally, with a low trade barrier. Leading sectors for U.S. exports and investments include aerospace and defense, defense equipment, agricultural, electric vehicles/autonomous technologies, energy, financial technology (FinTech), design and construction, medical technology, information and communication technology, safety and security, and travel and tourism.
10. India: $118.8 billion (2.4%)
One of the world’s fastest-growing economies. Leading sectors for U.S. exports and investments include civil aviation, defense, education, energy, environmental technologies, food and agriculture value chain, healthcare, information and communication technology, travel and tourism, and safety and security.
Export Assistance: Start Exporting to These Countries
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.
U.S. Commercial Service Offices
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.
District Export Councils (DECs)
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.
Trade Missions
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.
International Trade Administration (ITA)
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
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.
Export Document Requirements
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:
Export Compliance Issues
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.
Product Classification for Export Controls
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:
- What is the Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) of the item?
- Where is it going?
- Who is the end user?
- What is the end use?
There are three ways to classify your products for export controls: You can self-classify your products, submit a SNAP-R request for a ruling, or rely on the product vendor to provide the information. You can learn about that process in our article, Export Codes: ECCN vs. HS, HTS and Schedule B.
By classifying your product correctly, you’ll be protecting yourself from severe fines, penalties and even jail time.
Export License Determination
Next, companies must use the ECCN codes and reasons for control described above 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, Sudan and Syria. 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.
The 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.
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.
Deemed Exports
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 Screenings
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:
- Fines for export violations can reach up to $1 million per violation in criminal cases.
- Administrative cases can result in a penalty amounting to $300,000 or twice the value of the transaction, whichever is greater.
- Criminal violators may be sentenced to prison for up to 20 years, and administrative penalties may include denial of export privileges.
Export Documentation and Compliance Software
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.
Like what you read? Join thousands of exporters and importers who subscribe to Passages: The International Trade Blog. You’ll get the latest news and tips for exporters and importers delivered right to your inbox.