In today’s dynamic and rapidly evolving economic landscape, the digital economy has become a cornerstone of economic growth, job creation, and innovation in the United States. It is creating international growth opportunities for businesses of all sizes across virtually every industry—from farming to high-end manufacturing. According to the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), in 2023, U.S. exports of digitally-enabled services accounted for 64% of all U.S. services exports, driving the $278 billion trade surplus in services. The digital economy is a major source of employment, with 8.9 million persons holding jobs tied to the digital economy across nearly every sector and industry.

As the digital economy grows, U.S. businesses, especially micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), are navigating increasingly complex policy environments overseas and evolving market conditions that threaten to undermine U.S. technological leadership. To address this, the International Trade Administration (ITA), in partnership with other Commerce agencies and leveraging expertise across the Department, is undertaking several new initiatives and expanding existing efforts designed to strengthen U.S. competitiveness and trade in the digital economy.

These actions build on ITA’s longstanding efforts—through its industry and policy experts, its network of international and domestic offices, and its partnership with experts across the Department—to deliver concrete, commercially meaningful outcomes that advance U.S. innovation and leadership in the digital economy. These efforts include working with trading partners through signature achievements like the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council; Presidential initiatives like Digital Transformation with Africa; specialized bilateral dialogues like the U.S.-Singapore Partnership for Growth and Innovation; and the U.S.-Brazil Commercial Dialogue to pursue alignment on digital economy issues.

They also include efforts to promote data flows that are critical for U.S. companies, particularly MSMEs, to access foreign markets; advance secure and trusted networks; strengthen innovation through full deployment of Wi-Fi technologies; and ensure safe, secure development of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.