Shenzhen’s cross-border e-commerce has surpassed one trillion yuan, leading a new trend in China’s foreign trade.

In 2026, with the new Foreign Trade Law set to take effect and the APEC meeting approaching, Shenzhen’s cross-border e-commerce stands at the forefront of global trade transformation. With 120,000 sellers and 100,000 supporting service providers, representing half of the national industry, Shenzhen’s cross-border e-commerce has become a crucial window into China’s foreign trade transformation. Starting today, the “Exploring Shenzhen’s Top Cross-Border Sellers” research column officially begins, presenting a panoramic view of Shenzhen’s innovative practices in cross-border e-commerce through “on-site visits + expert interpretation + data verification.” The cross-border e-commerce sector is poised for another significant breakthrough! According to the latest industry monitoring data, Shenzhen’s cross-border e-commerce sellers’ online transaction volume (GMV) is expected to exceed 1 trillion RMB in 2025, a steady leap from 900 billion RMB in 2024. Shenzhen, as a “super hub” for cross-border e-commerce in China, gathers half of the country’s cross-border e-commerce sellers and supporting service providers. With its well-developed ecosystem, strong corporate strength, and innovative development model, it continues to lead the nation. Its growth trajectory from “product export” to “brand export” and then to “ecosystem export” serves as a vivid example of high-quality development of China’s foreign trade. Shenzhen is the first comprehensive pilot zone in China to propose and implement the concept of “transparent” cross-border e-commerce, establishing a six-in-one transparent regulatory service model integrating commerce, customs, foreign exchange, taxation, loans, and insurance. With overseas warehouses exceeding 4.2 million square meters and over 130 independent brand websites boasting GMV exceeding 25 million yuan, Shenzhen has been rated as a top-tier national comprehensive pilot zone for “significant achievements” for three consecutive years, and its import and export scale has ranked first in the country for four consecutive years. Among the 120,000 sellers, the “core camp” comprised of 18 listed companies stands out. For example, Anker Innovations has seen its revenue surge 33 times in 10 years. Revenue rose from 746 million yuan in 2014 to 24.71 billion yuan in 2024. In the first three quarters of 2025, the company’s revenue reached 21.019 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 27.79%; net profit was 1.933 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 31.34%. All three of its business lines maintained high growth, demonstrating the successful transformation of Shenzhen enterprises from “distribution” to “branding.” InStone Innovations, a star A-share listed company, achieved cumulative revenue of 6.611 billion yuan in the first three quarters of 2025, a year-on-year increase of 67.18%, and its panoramic camera market share has ranked first globally for eight consecutive years. Ugreen Technology achieved operating revenue of 6.364 billion yuan in the first three quarters, a year-on-year increase of 47.80%; net profit attributable to the parent company was 467 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 45.08%, with steady growth in core product categories. Besides listed companies, many “dark horse” sellers have emerged in Shenzhen’s cross-border e-commerce ecosystem. Companies behind “niche best-selling” products such as flying cameras with annual sales of 1 billion yuan, lawnmower robots dominating Amazon’s sales charts, and mechanical keyboards with annual revenue exceeding 100 million yuan have become another growth engine for Shenzhen’s cross-border e-commerce. Relying on the collaborative development model of “cross-border e-commerce + industrial belt,” Shenzhen is promoting the digital transformation of traditional manufacturing and the overseas expansion of brands. As a major national production base for 3C electronic products, Shenzhen leverages platforms such as AliExpress to promote the overseas export of products such as mini PCs and smart devices, forming a highly competitive industrial cluster. Shenzhen Chiwei achieved a doubling of sales in the Spanish market through AliExpress’s overseas warehouse management model; the emerging brand Jimoke achieved a more than tenfold increase in annual sales by utilizing the platform’s fully managed services. The apparel industry, a traditional strength of Shenzhen, has been revitalized by cross-border e-commerce. Saiwei Times, driven by digital intelligence, has incubated over 70 proprietary brands with sales exceeding 10 million yuan, boosting the development of nearly a thousand domestic suppliers and promoting standardized production for small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises. Shenzhen enterprises have also explored various unique models for empowering industrial clusters. Shenzhen Qianhai Jiumi Information Technology Co., Ltd., relying on its self-developed cross-border e-commerce comprehensive service data platform, provides enterprises with “one-stop” services, boosting export profits for partner companies and attracting cooperation from industrial clusters in multiple regions. Shenzhen Shuye Innovation Technology Co., Ltd., using the Laifen brand as a platform, has driven technological upgrades in factories within the Greater Bay Area’s consumer electronics industrial cluster through a “technology-driven + digital overseas expansion” model. Its products are sold in over 50 countries worldwide, driving upgrades for over 100 supply chain companies. From “product export” to “brand export” and then to “ecosystem export,” Shenzhen’s cross-border e-commerce has continuously evolved. Initially, it opened up international markets by “product export,” but later, due to platform traffic costs and compliance requirements, it shifted to “brand export,” with the Shenzhen government also introducing numerous supportive policies. Currently, Shenzhen’s cross-border e-commerce is entering a new stage of “ecosystem export,” encompassing a global layout of brands, products, channels, supply chains, and service systems. Experts believe that with the widespread application of new tools such as AI, Shenzhen’s cross-border e-commerce will further leap towards branding, digitalization, and ecosystem development, moving from simply “selling goods” to “selling standards” and “selling models,” thereby enhancing its voice in the global value chain.