Trade and investment flows cement Singapore’s top spot in global connectedness index

DHL 2026 report finds globalisation still at 25% amidst US–China trade decline.

Singapore ranked first out of 180 economies in the latest global connectedness rankings, placing first globally for trade depth, second for capital flows, and first for the breadth of inward foreign direct investment (FDI) stocks, according to a study by DHL.

Regionally, the DHL Global Connectedness Report 2026 by DHL Group and New York University Stern School of Business found that East Asia and the Pacific accounted for 32% of world trade in 2025, up from 24% in 2001.

Several Asian economies climbed in the global connectedness ranking with Malaysia rising 13 places to 16th, Thailand ranking 27th, South Korea 31st, Taiwan 32nd, and Vietnam 36th.

“Asia Pacific continues to demonstrate extraordinary resilience and adaptability. Countries across the region are deepening global trade ties despite geopolitical tensions and shifts in supply chains,” said Ken Lee, CEO of DHL Express Asia Pacific.

Chinese exports redirected to ASEAN markets rose 13% in 2025, equivalent to an additional $79b.

AI-related products accounted for 42% of goods trade growth in the first three quarters of 2025, according to the World Trade Organisation.

Technology supply chains in Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia benefited from demand for AI chips, servers, and data centre infrastructure, according to the report.

Global connectedness reached 25% in 2025, the report found.

US–China trade accounted for 2.0% of global trade in the first three quarters of 2025, down from 2.7% in 2024 and 3.6% at its peak in 2015.

Even with this development, global goods trade is projected to grow by an average of 2.6% annually through 2029.

“The politics and policy surrounding globalization are much more volatile than the actual flows between countries. Cross-border flows have remained resilient despite geopolitical tensions,” said Steven A. Altman, senior research scholar at New York University Stern School of Business and director of the DHL Initiative on Globalisation.

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