According to official figures from the National Statistics Office (Ministry of Finance) released in early October 2026, Vietnam’s merchandise trade in the first nine months of 2026 reached USD 888.02 billion, up 30.4% year on year. Exports were USD 434.30 billion (up 24.5%) and imports USD 453.72 billion (up 36.7%), a trade deficit of USD 19.42 billion. The United States was the largest export market (USD 140.0 billion) and China the largest import source (USD 187.34 billion).
Key points (ten-month estimates)
According to the Import-Export Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade, as reported by Vietnam+ and Tạp chí Kinh tế – Tài chính on 29–30 October 2026:
- Total trade for January–October is estimated at USD 1,010.6 billion, up 32.3% on the same period of 2025, passing USD 1 trillion for the first time.
- Exports are estimated at USD 499 billion, up 27.4%; processed and manufactured goods make up 87.4% of exports.
- Trade balance: a cumulative deficit of about USD 12.7 billion after ten months, narrower than the USD 19.42 billion after nine months.
- October 2026 alone: trade of about USD 122.2 billion, up 47.6%, with a surplus of about USD 6.8 billion, the second monthly surplus in a row.
- Products: seven product groups each exceeded USD 15 billion, together 71.4% of exports; electronics, computers and components led with over USD 149.4 billion (Vietnam+, 30 October 2026).
- Markets: exports grew to China, the United States, the EU, South Korea and ASEAN.
- The Government’s 2026 export growth target is 15–16%.
Note: the ten-month numbers are Ministry of Industry and Trade estimates; the National Statistics Office’s official figures may differ when published.
Impact on importers and exporters
Strong volume growth means high demand for vessel space, empty containers, yard capacity and customs processing, especially in the year-end peak season. Imports grew faster than exports over nine months, reflecting large inflows of materials and components for manufacturing, which keeps inbound transport demand high as well.
What businesses should do
- Book space with ocean and air carriers early for November–December shipments and the run-up to Lunar New Year.
- Check documents, HS codes and origin paperwork in advance to limit issues as declaration volumes rise.
- Follow the official ten-month and full-year figures from the National Statistics Office and Vietnam Customs to update market assessments.
Sources
- Infographics: nine-month merchandise trade above USD 888 billion (National Statistics Office data), Báo Đấu thầu, 4 Oct 2026
- Ten-month trade up 32.3%, passing USD 1 trillion, Vietnam+ (VNA), 29 Oct 2026
- Trade passes USD 1 trillion for the first time, trade balance improves, Vietnam+ (VNA), 30 Oct 2026
- Ten-month 2026 merchandise trade passes USD 1 trillion, Tạp chí Kinh tế – Tài chính (Ministry of Finance), 29 Oct 2026
