Mexico Reclaims America’s PC Import Crown While Asia Closes In Fast

Key Points

• Mexico shipped $71.548 billion in computers to the U.S. in January–October 2025, taking 36.7% of imports.
• Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard says USMCA use rose from 48% in 2024 to about 85% in recent readings.
• Taiwan, Vietnam, and Thailand logged triple-digit growth, and AI-era data hardware is reshaping the category.

Japan led U.S. computer imports in 2000. Mexico led in 2001. China led from 2002 through 2023. Mexico led again in 2024. It still led through October 2025, the latest month available.

From January to October 2025, Mexican computer shipments rose 84.4% from a year earlier. They reached a record $71.548 billion. Mexico’s share climbed to 36.7%.

Banxico ties the surge to nearshoring and proximity. It cites installed capacity, shorter delivery times, and more North American content. It also points to U.S. demand for hybrid work gear, data centers, and digital services.

Trade compliance has become a competitive lever. Ebrard said USMCA entry rose from 48% in 2024 to about 85% more recently. Banxico said computers and parts went from effectively zero USMCA use in 2024. It rose to near 90% by August 2025.

Mexico Leads Tech Trade Shifts

Banxico also reported deeper sourcing gains. Mexico’s share in “computer equipment and parts” rose from 21.5% in 2023 to 28.4% in January–August 2025. Banxico also said this category’s weight in total U.S. imports increased.

Competition is accelerating. Taiwan shipped $62.075 billion in January–October 2025, up 178.5%. Vietnam shipped $28.398 billion, up 116.7%. Thailand shipped $14.485 billion, up 165.6%.

The mix is tilting toward higher-value data gear. A chart widely shared on X showed Taiwan briefly surpassing Mexico in one month of “data processing unit” exports in mid-2025.

A Monterrey-focused LinkedIn post said desktop computers and CPUs shipped to the U.S. exceeded passenger vehicles in June 2025. It also pointed to major OEM and contract manufacturers operating in Mexico.

A Japanese trade report adds context on China’s decline. It said U.S. imports of smartphones and laptop PCs from China fell sharply after April 2025. It noted laptop sourcing shifting toward Vietnam and Taiwanese production expanding into Thailand.

Mexico’s lead is strong, but not locked in.

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