The country recorded its first trade surplus in 2012 and has maintained a continuous streak of surplus for 10 years since 2016. The surplus grew steadily, hitting US$19.9 billion in 2020, a record of US$28.3 billion in 2023, and US$24.9 billion in 2024.
Vietnam's foreign trade is projected to hit a record of over US$900 billion in 2025, positioning the country among the top 15 global trade powers, providing a new impetus for national economic growth, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).
Addressing a recent conference to review the performance of the industry and trade sector in 2025 and during the 2021–2025 period, and outline key tasks for 2026, Nguyen Anh Son, Director of the MoIT’s Agency of Foreign Trade, announced that as of December 15, Vietnam’s total import-export turnover had reached US$883.7 billion.
By the end of 2025, the figure is expected to rise to around US$920 billion, with exports estimated at over US$470 billion, up 16 percent compared to 2024, he said.
As a result, Vietnam will firmly secure its position among the world’s top 15 countries by trade volume and ranks second within ASEAN. The country has also maintained a trade surplus for the 10th consecutive year since 2016, with the 2025 figure estimated at around US$22 billion.
Starting from US$100 billion in 2009, Vietnam’s total import-export turnover surpassed US$200 billion in 2011, US$300 billion in 2015, and US$400 billion in 2017, before hitting US$500 billion within a decade.
This momentum was sustained, enabling Vietnam to break through US$600 billion in 2021 and US$700 billion in 2022. The figure went beyond US$800 billion in November 2025 and crossed the US$900 billion threshold in December this year.
The number of export items with turnover exceeding US$1 billion has grown rapidly to 30 in 2019 from only 10 in 2007. The figure is expected to increase to 36 in 2025.
Vietnam has broadened its export reach, as the number of markets exceeding US$1 billion in export turnover grew from 27 in 2013 to 31 in 2018, then to 34 in 2022 and 35 in 2024.
The country recorded its first trade surplus in 2012 and has maintained a continuous streak of surplus for 10 years since 2016. The surplus grew steadily, hitting US$19.9 billion in 2020, a record of US$28.3 billion in 2023, and US$24.9 billion in 2024.
