Austrade export deals reach A$8.8bn in 2025–26, up 26%

The Australian Trade and Investment Commission helped facilitate an estimated A$8.8bn (approximately US$6.13bn) in export deals during the 2025–26 financial year, an increase of 26% on the previous year, according to figures published on 12 October.

Austrade’s latest Trade and Investment Report records 2,404 export deals supported by the agency, highlighting the scale of commercially assisted export activity and the growing importance of Asian markets for Australian businesses.

Southeast Asia and South Asia accounted for almost 1,000 of those deals, with a combined value exceeding A$3bn (US$2.09bn). The two regions therefore represented a substantial share of the agency’s reported export activity.

The figures are significant for trade finance because growth in cross-border business can increase demand for payment guarantees, documentary credits, receivables financing, trade credit insurance and foreign-exchange services.

However, the A$8.8bn figure measures the estimated value of export deals facilitated by Austrade, not financing provided by banks or export credit agencies. It should not be interpreted as the amount of trade finance committed, drawn or outstanding.

The report also highlights cooperation between Austrade, Export Finance Australia and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the Southeast Asia Investment Deals Team.

That initiative supported Australian investments into Southeast Asia worth A$3.6bn (US$2.51bn). The figure relates to investment activity and should not be added to the export-deal total as though it represented another category of export receivables or newly issued trade-finance facilities.

Austrade separately reported facilitating 115 international investment projects with a value of A$15.4bn (US$10.73bn), supporting 19,093 jobs.

The distribution of export activity towards Asian markets has implications beyond the aggregate transaction value.

For exporters, expansion into new customer markets can increase the complexity of assessing counterparty creditworthiness, obtaining local-currency settlement and financing longer collection periods. Companies may also need additional working capital to cover production and shipping costs before receiving overseas payments.

These are potential financing consequences of the reported activity, rather than outcomes quantified by Austrade.

For lenders and credit insurers, the figures indicate where trade-related financing demand may develop, particularly among smaller exporters seeking to establish new buyers and distribution relationships.

The report provides evidence of increased export business supported by Australia’s trade-promotion network. It does not establish whether financing volumes, insured receivables or payment defaults increased alongside those transactions.