Chinese SMEs Pivot to High-Tech Exports, Emerging Markets: XTransfer

Chinese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remain optimistic about their export performance this year despite ongoing geopolitical tensions and global shipping disruptions.

These businesses are carving out new opportunities in the "trio" of high-tech sectors – artificial intelligence, robotics and innovative drugs – and expanding rapidly into emerging markets such as Brazil and Pakistan, according to XTransfer, one of China's largest B2B cross-border trade payment platforms.

Shanghai-based XTransfer serves over 1 million enterprise clients globally and processed US$60.5 billion in payment transactions in 2025.

SMEs serve as stabilizers of globalization, Bill Deng, founder and CEO of XTransfer, said at the XTransfer Summit 2026. Facing deglobalization, geopolitical risks and logistics volatility, these businesses continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience, he added.

Company data highlights a surge in transaction value across the AI, robotics and biotechnology sectors. While high-tech industries are often viewed as the domain of large corporations, Deng noted that many SMEs actively participate by supplying vital components and supporting materials. For instance, data centers require electrical equipment and generators, while biotech firms rely on SMEs for specialized lab materials and chemical inputs.

Chinese customs data underscores this trend, showing that China's robot exports jumped 18.6 percent in the first half of the year amid rising global demand for industrial, medical and consumer robotics.

XTransfer's trade flows also reflect a shift in trade routes. Capital from the United States once accounted for up to 20 percent of overall volume on the platform before trade tariffs were imposed. Within months, that share dropped to roughly 12 percent, where it has now stabilized.

Meanwhile, financial inflows from developing regions in Africa, Latin America and Asia have grown rapidly. To support this momentum, XTransfer plans to expand its network of international banking partners across emerging markets in Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia and Latin America.

Among these partners is Habib Bank Zurich (Hong Kong), a subsidiary of Habib Bank AG Zurich, a banking group with presence across four continents and 10 countries. It works alongside XTransfer to streamline payment solutions for Chinese exporters.

"We have a thorough understanding of the trade environment in these emerging markets", said Sachil Dagur, CEO of Habib Bank Zurich (Hong Kong) Ltd. "We aim to leverage XTransfer's capabilities to expand our reach, serve smaller importers, help them consolidate transactions, and efficiently return funds to Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland."

XTransfer's Local Account service currently covers nearly 60 countries and regions, allowing buyers to settle payments in their local currencies to boost capital turnover. It noted that strategic partnerships with domestic banks and integration with China's cross-border interbank payments system (CIPS) continue to make cross-border transactions faster, more accessible and more cost-effective.