Wire rod (also known as wire) is a core basic product in the steel industry, widely used in construction, machinery, automobile and many other key fields. In recent years, China's wire rod exports have developed steadily relying on a mature system. Combining the core export data from 2025 to 2026, this article analyzes the industry status, trends and advantages, providing reference for global buyers and practitioners.

I. Core Export Data: Stable Output, Improved Quality and Optimized Structure

According to customs data, China's wire rod exports reached 8.6 million tons in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 9.4%, hitting a new high in recent years. Affected by fluctuations in the global steel market, the average export price of steel throughout the year fell by 8.1% year-on-year to 693.8 US dollars per ton. Wire rod exports showed a trend of "increasing output but decreasing price", but still maintained price competitiveness. In 2026, affected by the new export license policy and the EU CBAM carbon tariff, exports are facing downward pressure. The new export order index of iron and steel enterprises in January was only 37.9%, but the proportion of high-value-added wire rod exports is steadily increasing. In terms of market distribution, the focus has shifted to the "Belt and Road"沿线 emerging markets. In 2025, exports were mainly to Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa, with Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan and other countries as core destinations, and the market demand in South Korea, Thailand and other countries remained stable.

II. Industry Trends: Transformation towards High-End and Green Development

2026 is a crucial year for the in-depth adjustment of China's wire rod export structure. With the superposition of multiple policies and market constraints, China's wire rod exports are undergoing in-depth transformation from "quantity-oriented" to "quality-oriented", and the industry development presents three obvious trends: first, the standardization of export policies, wire rod is included in the export license management to curb the disorderly export of low-value-added products; second, the improvement of green compliance requirements, the EU carbon tariff forces enterprises to layout "green steel" production to break through green trade barriers; third, the optimization of product structure, the proportion of high-value-added wire rod exports is increasing, and the application fields are expanding to high-end scenarios such as automobiles and bridges.

III. Core Advantages: Triple Guarantee of Production Capacity, Quality and Service

China's wire rod exports still have strong competitiveness: first, the advantage of large-scale production capacity, with a complete industrial chain, which can realize stable supply of various specifications and large quantities; second, the quality meets international standards, which can be produced in accordance with JIS, ASTM and other standards, with a diameter range of Φ5.5mm~Φ28.0mm, and has been recognized by well-known international enterprises; third, supported by one-stop services, providing customized production, customs declaration, logistics and other services to help buyers avoid trade risks.

IV. Outlook for 2026: Coexistence of Challenges and Opportunities

In 2026, China's wire rod exports will face multiple challenges such as trade protection and rising green costs. It is estimated that China's steel exports may drop to about 100 million tons. However, the stable infrastructure demand in "Belt and Road" emerging markets, the release of potential of high-value-added products, and the accelerated low-carbon transformation of enterprises still leave great room for development. Enterprises need to focus on quality upgrading, optimize market layout, and respond to trade barriers.

As a professional wire rod export enterprise, we provide a variety of high-quality wire rod products, strictly follow export norms, and provide one-stop services to help global buyers purchase efficiently and win the global market together.