According to the latest data from the General Statistics Office ( Ministry of Finance ), Vietnam's international trade activities in January 2026 recorded a strong recovery. Total import and export turnover reached US$88.16 billion, an increase of 39% compared to the same period in 2025. Of this, export turnover reached US$43.19 billion, an increase of 29.7% compared to January 2025, confirming the breakthrough momentum from the beginning of the year.
FDI sector leads export growth.
The main driving force behind exports continues to come from the foreign direct investment (FDI) sector. Specifically, FDI exports (including crude oil) reached US$33.68 billion, accounting for 78% of total exports and increasing by 42.2% compared to the same period last year. Conversely, the domestic economic sector recorded US$9.51 billion, a decrease of 1.3% compared to the same period, indicating an uneven recovery.
The structure of export goods is mainly concentrated in the processing and manufacturing industry group, with a value of 38.43 billion USD, accounting for 89% of the total export turnover. Many key products maintained impressive growth rates:
- Electronics, computers and components: Reached $9.56 billion, an increase of 57.6%.
- Machinery, equipment, tools, and spare parts: Reached $5.43 billion, an increase of 40.2%.
- Phones and components: Reached $5.66 billion, an increase of 17.3%.
- Agriculture and fisheries: Coffee reached $1.08 billion (+39.5%), and seafood reached $1.01 billion (+30.7%).
In terms of markets, the United States maintained its position as Vietnam's largest export market with a turnover of $13.9 billion. The trade surplus with this market reached $12 billion, an increase of 28.6% compared to the same period last year.
Imports surged to meet production demands.
Conversely, merchandise imports in January 2026 reached US$44.97 billion, a sharp increase of 49.2% compared to the same period in 2025. Notably, 94% of imports were concentrated in the production materials group (reaching US$42.3 billion), reflecting the strong increase in demand for inputs for new year orders.
Imported goods showing significant increases include: automobiles (up 98%), electronics and computers (up 70.7%), and machinery and equipment (up 47.2%). China continues to be the largest import market with $19 billion, resulting in a trade deficit with this market of $12.7 billion.
The trade balance reversed to a trade deficit.
Due to the import growth rate (49.2%) far exceeding that of exports (29.7%), the merchandise trade balance in January 2026 shifted to a trade deficit of US$1.78 billion. This represents a significant change from the trade surplus of US$3.17 billion in the same period of 2025.
Overview of trade figures for January 2026
| Target | Value (Billion USD) | Compared to the same period (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Total turnover | 88.16 | +39.0 |
| Export | 43.19 | +29.7 |
| Import | 44.97 | +49.2 |
| Trade balance | -1.78 | (Trade deficit) |
Overall, despite facing a short-term trade deficit, the strong increase in imports of production materials and electronic components suggests positive expectations for industrial output and exports in the coming months of 2026.
Source: https://baonghean.vn/kim-ngach-xuat-khau-thang-12026-but-toc-297-dat-4319-ty-usd-10323060.html
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