Globalization holds firm at a record level, while the U.S. and China continue to decouple – DHL Global Connectedness Report 2026
10 Mar 20267 min read
Summary
- Despite geopolitical tensions and rising uncertainty, countries largely maintain trade and investment ties with their traditional partner countries
- Record-long trade distances, AI-driven commerce, and resilient cross‑border flows paint a surprisingly robust picture of globalization
- Average trade growth through 2029 is expected to be in line with the past decade
Bonn/Hanoi/New York, March 10, 2026: Globalization remains at a historically high level – despite escalating geopolitical tensions, rising U.S. tariffs, and unprecedented uncertainty about future trade policies. This is one of the key findings of the DHL Global Connectedness Report 2026, released today by DHL and New York University’s Stern School of Business. Based on more than 9 million data points tracking international flows of trade, capital, information, and people, the report offers the most comprehensive view of globalization available.
Globalization has held firm since 2022
The report tracks globalization on a scale from 0% (no cross-border flows) to 100% (borders and distance have no impact). The world’s level of globalization was 25% in 2025, in line with the record high set in 2022.
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“Globalization is holding its ground – and that alone speaks volumes about its value,” said John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express. “From poverty to climate change, the world’s biggest challenges can only be solved through global thinking. The DHL Global Connectedness Report shows that countries and companies are not retreating behind national borders. That is good news. DHL strengthens global ties by connecting markets, businesses, and people so they can adapt, diversify, and unlock new opportunities – even in uncertain times.”
At the same time, today’s globalization level of 25% underlines how far the world is from being fully globalized. In many areas, international flows could expand further in the absence of policy constraints.
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