Services Export Share Has Grown Globally
Services now represent 27% of all global exports as trade trends shift toward digitally deliverable segments.
Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in International Trade
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Services exports climbed to 27% of the global total by 2025, marking a 4 percentage point increase over the last decade. Annual growth for the sector reached 8.3% in 2025, even as projections suggest a decline in future merchandise trade growth.
Why it matters
Digitally deliverable services are currently the fastest-growing segment of global trade as industries increasingly bundle services with physical products. This shift creates a divide for developing economies, which face significant barriers including poor connectivity and high cross-border payment costs.
Services exports grew at an average annual rate of 6.7% over the last decade. In 2024, digitally deliverable services comprised 61% of total services exports in developed nations, compared to just 16% in developing economies.
The players
UNCTAD
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development is an intergovernmental organization that promotes the interests of developing states in world trade.
The details
Companies are fundamentally changing their business models by embedding services into physical goods and selling maintenance contracts. While developed nations heavily utilize digital delivery, developing countries currently struggle with skills gaps and infrastructure deficits.
Timeline
Between 2015 and 2025, services increased their share of global exports by 4 percentage points.
Services exports experienced 8.3% growth throughout 2025.
Merchandise trade growth is expected to decline by 3.2 percentage points in 2026.
Market Dynamics
This growth follows the trends outlined in the 2025 UNCTAD Global Trade Report. The findings mark a departure from traditional trade patterns by highlighting how services now serve as critical inputs for physical goods exports.
Retail investors should track how corporate shifts toward service-bundling impact long-term profit margins. Companies prioritizing digitally deliverable services may offer more stable growth compared to those reliant on traditional merchandise trade cycles.
The takeaway
The global economy is increasingly defined by the integration of digital services into tangible products rather than the sale of goods alone. Developing nations will need to prioritize infrastructure investment to remain competitive in this evolving trade landscape.
Further reading
For more on the shift toward digital services and trade patterns, visit our International Trade section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Global Trade Review (GTR).
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