Trade intelligence fundamentals
What is transaction-level trade data — and why does it matter?
Behind every trade statistic is a customs declaration: a record of exactly who shipped what, to whom, at what price. Transaction-level trade data makes those records searchable. Here is what it is, where it comes from, and what you can do with it.
Statistical data vs. transaction-level data
Most publicly available trade data — UN Comtrade, World Bank WITS, Eurostat — is aggregated statistical data. It tells you how much was traded between two countries in a given year. Transaction-level data is different: it shows you the individual shipments that make up those totals.
Statistical data tells you
“Vietnam exported $2.3bn of footwear to the US in 2024.”
Transaction data tells you
“Nike Inc. imported 42,000 pairs from Pou Chen Corp at $18.50/pair on 15 March 2024, via Ho Chi Minh City to Los Angeles.”
Where the data comes from
Transaction-level trade data originates from two primary document types:
Customs declarations
Filed with national customs authorities at the point of import or export. Contains: HS classification, declared value, quantity, weight, country of origin, importer and exporter names (where published).
Bills of lading
Filed with port authorities for sea freight. Contains: shipper, consignee, description of goods, port of loading, port of discharge, vessel name, container numbers, and cargo weight.
Ponte's data engine
Ponte's research is grounded in transaction-level trade evidence across 199 countries. Every finding passes a 5-step verification pipeline: 4-source pull, conflict detection, Monte Carlo resolution, and senior-analyst sign-off before delivery.
Coverage by region
Data quality varies significantly by country. The following table shows coverage strength and key notes for major trading regions.
| Region | Coverage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Strong | Full bill-of-lading data, importer/exporter names, unit values |
| India | Strong | Import and export declarations, named parties |
| Mexico | Strong | Import declarations, named importers |
| Brazil | Strong | Import declarations, named parties, unit values |
| Vietnam | Strong | Import and export data, named parties |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | Strong | Most countries publish declaration-level data |
| Latin America | Strong | Most countries publish declaration-level data |
| Intra-EU Trade | Limited | No customs declarations between member states — extrapolated |
| China (exports) | Limited | Export declarations not published at transaction level |
| Japan / South Korea | Limited | Aggregated data only; no named-party records |
| Australia / New Zealand | Limited | Restricted publication of named-party data |
For routes with limited direct coverage, Ponte uses price extrapolation methodology — deriving unit values from comparable origin-destination pairs with strong data coverage. All extrapolated values are flagged in reports.
What you can do with trade data
Find verified suppliers
Identify which companies are actively exporting your product category, the volumes they handle, and who their existing customers are — all from actual shipment records, not self-reported directories.
Benchmark your pricing
Unit values from customs declarations reveal what buyers are actually paying — not list prices, but the CIF or FOB values declared at the border. Essential for pricing strategy and contract negotiation.
Map trade corridors
See exactly which routes carry your product: origin ports, destination ports, dominant operators, and seasonal flow patterns over 5+ years of shipment history.
Competitive intelligence
Determine which suppliers your competitors are buying from, at what volumes and approximate prices. Transaction data makes supply chain relationships visible.
Market entry prospecting
Identify active buyers in your target market — companies already importing your product category — and approach them with a credible, data-backed pitch.
Due diligence on counterparties
Verify that a counterparty is a genuine trading entity by checking their shipment history, known trading partners, and typical volumes before signing a contract.
Frequently asked questions
What is transaction-level trade data?
Transaction-level trade data is a record of individual import or export shipments drawn from customs declarations and bills of lading. Each record captures: importer name, exporter name, HS code, product description, quantity, unit value, port of loading, port of discharge, and shipment date. This is fundamentally different from statistical trade data, which aggregates those transactions into country-level totals.
What is the difference between trade data and UN Comtrade data?
UN Comtrade provides aggregated statistics: the total value of a country's exports or imports of a given HS code in a given year. Transaction-level trade data shows you the individual shipments that make up those totals — including the actual company names, quantities per shipment, and unit prices. Statistical data answers 'how much was traded'; transaction data answers 'who traded what, with whom, at what price, and when'.
Where does customs trade data come from?
Customs trade data originates from two primary sources: customs declarations filed with national customs authorities at the point of import or export, and bills of lading filed with port authorities. Coverage quality varies significantly by country. The US, India, Mexico, Brazil, Vietnam, and most of Latin America and Africa publish high-quality transaction-level data. The EU does not publish intra-EU trade at transaction level because there are no customs declarations for goods moving between EU member states.
Can I use trade data to find suppliers?
Yes. Transaction-level trade data is one of the most reliable methods for finding verified suppliers. Because the data originates from actual customs declarations, you can identify which companies are actively exporting a specific product (by HS code), the countries they ship from, their typical shipment volumes, and who their existing customers are. This is far more reliable than trade directories, which are self-reported and often outdated.
Why is there no transaction-level trade data for the EU?
The EU operates as a single customs territory. Goods moving between EU member states — say, from Germany to France — cross no customs border and therefore generate no customs declaration. This means there is no transaction-level data for intra-EU trade. EU imports from outside the bloc (e.g., China to Germany) do generate customs declarations, but these are not published at transaction level in most EU member states. Ponte uses price extrapolation methodology to estimate unit values on these routes.
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