Malaysia exported US$375.8 billion worth of products around the world in 2025.
That dollar sum results from a 25.6% expansion compared to $299.3 billion in export revenues during 2021.
Year over year, the overall value of Malaysian exported products accelerated by 13.9% starting from $330 billion in 2024.
Malaysia’s 5 best customers for its exported products are Singapore, United States of America, mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Those 5 major trade partners accounted for over half (53.3%) of worldwide Malaysian export revenues for 2024.
Apply a continental lens, over two-thirds (67.6%) of Malaysian exports by value was delivered to countries located in fellow Asian nations while 16.8% was sold to North American importers. Malaysia shipped another 9.1% worth of goods to buyers located in Europe.
Smaller percentages went to customers in Oceania (3.6%) led by Australia and New Zealand, Africa (2.1%) then Latin America (0.7%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean.
Malaysia’s Top Trading Partners
Below is a list showcasing 25 of Malaysia’s top trading partners, countries that imported the most Malaysian shipments by dollar value during 2021. Also shown is each purchasing country’s percentage of total Malaysian exports.
- Singapore: US$58.3 billion (15.5% of Malaysia’s total exports)
- United States: $54.6 billion (14.5%)
- mainland China: $44.2 billion (11.8%)
- Hong Kong: $22.5 billion (6%)
- Taiwan: $20.6 billion (5.5%)
- Japan: $17.8 billion (4.7%)
- Thailand: $15 billion (4%)
- Vietnam: $12.9 billion (3.4%)
- South Korea: $12.3 billion (3.3%)
- India: $12.2 billion (3.3%)
- Indonesia: $12 billion (3.2%)
- Australia: $11.4 billion (3%)
- Netherlands: $10.1 billion (2.7%)
- Germany: $7.7 billion (2%)
- Mexico: $7.1 billion (1.9%)
- Philippines: $6.1 billion (1.6%)
- Türkiye: $4.7 billion (1.2%)
- United Arab Emirates: $3.9 billion (1%)
- Bangladesh: $2.3 billion (0.6%)
- United Kingdom: $2.1 billion (0.5%)
- Italy: $1.8 billion (0.5%)
- Belgium: $1.6 billion (0.4%)
- Canada: $1.55 billion (0.4%)
- France: $1.53 billion (0.4%)
- Kenya: $1.42 billion (0.4%)
Over nine-tenths (92%) of Malaysian exports in 2024 was delivered to the above 25 trade partners.
The strongest gainers among the top Malaysian export customers were: Mexico (up 70.9% from 2024), Taiwan (up 40.6%), Netherlands (up 29.2%), United States of America (up 25.4%) and the United Arab Emirates (up 21.4%).
The year-over-year decliners were Bangladesh (down -9.5% from 2024), Belgium (down -8.7%), Japan (down -1.5%) and the Philippines (down -0.2%).
Countries Causing the Greatest Trade Deficits for Malaysia
As defined by Investopedia, a country whose total value of all imported goods is higher than its value of all exports is said to have a negative trade balance or deficit.
It would be unrealistic for any exporting nation to expect across-the-board positive trade balances with all its importing partners. Similarly, that export country doesn’t necessarily post a negative trade balance with each individual partner with which it exchanges exports and imports.
Malaysia incurred the highest trade deficits with the following countries.
- mainland China: -US$38.5 billion (country-specific trade deficit in 2025)
- Taiwan: -$13.3 billion
- Saudi Arabia: -$4.9 billion
- Ireland: -$4 billion
- South Korea: -$2.8 billion
- Indonesia: -$2.7 billion
- Costa Rica: -$2.6 billion
- Brazil: -$2.26 billion
- United Arab Emirates: -$2.18 billion
- Argentina: -$1.5 billion
Among Malaysia’s trading partners that generate the greatest negative trade balances, Malaysian surpluses with South Korea (up 787.9%), Indonesia (up 66.2%) and mainland China (up 61.6%) grew at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025.
In addition, Malaysia transitioned from a $191.9 million surplus trading with Costa Rica to posting the -$2.6 billion deficit listed above.
These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate Malaysia’s competitive disadvantages with the above countries, but also represent key opportunities for Malaysia to develop country-specific strategies to strengthen its overall position in international trade.
Countries Generating the Greatest Trade Surpluses for Malaysia
Malaysia posted an overall US$35.6 billion surplus on goods traded during 2025, growing by 18.8% from $30 billion in black ink one year earlier in 2024.
Based on Investopedia’s definition of net importer, a country whose total value of all imported goods is lower than its value of all exports is said to have a positive trade balance or surplus.
Malaysia incurred the highest trade surpluses with the following countries.
- United States: US$23.2 billion (country-specific trade surplus in 2025)
- Singapore: $22.6 billion
- Hong Kong: $17.8 billion
- Netherlands: $8.9 billion
- India: $5.9 billion
- Mexico: $5.6 billion
- Australia: $4.4 billion
- Vietnam: $4.3 billion
- Philippines: $3.93 billion
- Türkiye: $3.87 billion
Among Malaysia’s trading partners that generate the greatest positive trade balances, Malaysian surpluses with Mexico (up 164.8%), Singapore (up 57.6%) and the United States of America (up 46.4%) grew at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025.
These positive cashflow streams clearly indicate Malaysia’s competitive advantages with the above countries, but also represent key opportunities for Malaysia to develop country-specific strategies to optimize its overall position in international trade.
Major Malaysian Companies Servicing International Trading Partners
Seventeen Malaysian corporations rank among Forbes Global 2000. Below is a sample of the major Malaysian companies that Forbes included.
- Axiata (communications equipment)
- IOI Group (food processing)
- MISC (shipping company)
- Petronas Chemicals (specialized chemicals)
- Petronas Dagangan (oil, gas)
- Sime Darby (rubber, industrial/energy products)
Wikipedia lists some other large international trade players for Malaysia.
- Hup Chong Furniture SDN BHD (bedroom furniture, beddings, miscellaneous wooden furniture)
- Ly Furniture SDN BHD (furniture, furniture parts)
- POS Malaysia Berhad (paper bags, envelopes)
- R1 International Malaysia SDN BHD (latex, transmission belts, natural rubber in smoked sheets)
See also Malaysia’s Top 10 Imports, Malaysia’s Top 10 Exports and Malaysia’s Top 10 Major Export Companies
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook, Country Profiles. Accessed on March 11, 2026
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on March 11, 2026
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on March 11, 2026
Investopedia, Net Importer Definition. Accessed on March 11, 2026
Wikipedia, List of Companies of Malaysia. Accessed on March 11, 2026