FX.co ★ Vietnam Trade Balance Swings to Surplus

In May 2025, Vietnam recorded a trade surplus of USD 0.56 billion in goods, shifting from a USD 0.45 billion deficit in the same month of the previous year. This marks the second consecutive month of surplus, driven by a significant increase in exports compared to imports. Exports surged by 17% year-over-year, totaling USD 39.6 billion, while imports grew by 14.1% to reach USD 39.04 billion. Over the first five months of 2025, Vietnam achieved a trade surplus of USD 4.67 billion, which represents a notable decrease from the USD 8.71 billion surplus recorded during the same period in 2024. This change corresponds with rises in exports and imports by 14.0% and 17.4%, respectively. Within this timeframe, processed industrial goods exports totaled USD 158.93 billion, making up 88.2% of all exports. The United States emerged as Vietnam's largest export market, with trade amounting to USD 57.2 billion, whereas China was the leading import market for Vietnam, with imports totaling USD 69.4 billion. In the preceding year, shipments to the U.S. accounted for nearly 30% of Vietnam's gross domestic product. However, under President Trump's revised tariff regime, Vietnamese exports have experienced a 46% increase in tariffs.