Cross-border opportunities

Contributed by a member of the Adam Global Network community.

Globalization and information and communication technologies have brought people and businesses closer together. A company can now reach customers, suppliers and partners well beyond its home market. Yet borders still matter: laws, tax systems, customs procedures, language and infrastructure shape how cross-border activity works. This article considers what cross-border opportunities are, how they develop, who benefits, what risks they create and what may change over the next decade.

What cross-border opportunities mean

Cross-border opportunities are the markets, collaborations and economic gains available when an individual, business or public body extends activity beyond national borders. They take several forms.

For businesses, they can mean selling goods or services to customers abroad, reaching demand that is limited at home, or building a supply chain across several countries. For governments and regional institutions, they can arise from reducing customs or administrative barriers, sharing infrastructure, and connecting labour markets or public services. For investors, they may include mergers and acquisitions, access to specialised talent, or production in a location with different costs and capabilities.

These dimensions are linked. Regional agreements and infrastructure can create the framework in which companies trade, invest and cooperate. The central idea is to turn borders from points of separation into places of connection—while recognising that national rules and local conditions remain important.

How the opportunity is developing

Digital commerce has made it easier for firms to reach international customers without first building a physical presence in every market. Smartphones, online marketplaces and digital payment services have broadened access. International logistics providers, sorting centres and fulfilment networks have also made cross-border delivery more available to businesses of different sizes.

Regional integration is another driver. In Africa, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), ECOWAS, WAEMU and CEMAC are among the frameworks intended to support trade and economic cooperation. In Europe, the European Union’s single market and INTERREG programmes support cross-border labour markets, transport planning and public services. In Asia, ASEAN and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) sit alongside complex regional manufacturing chains and increasingly connected digital services. In the Americas, USMCA links manufacturing across the United States, Canada and Mexico, while Latin American arrangements seek to strengthen trade between neighbouring economies.

The opportunities differ by region. E-commerce is driven by technology and logistics; African initiatives also respond to infrastructure gaps and the need to develop regional value chains; European cooperation is supported by common institutions; Asian production networks depend on interdependence and digitalisation; and trade in the Americas reflects both geographic proximity and economic differences.

Five examples

Africa: Jumia. Jumia responded to infrastructure and payment barriers with cash on delivery, JumiaPay and Jumia Logistics, connecting international sellers with African consumers. Its 2025 annual report describes operations across eight active African markets.

Europe: Lille–Kortrijk–Tournai. The cross-border Eurometropolis brings together communities in France and Belgium. The article highlights cooperation on healthcare and employment, including arrangements intended to allow ambulances and patients to cross the border more easily and employment services to coordinate across the area.

Southeast Asia: Shopee. Shopee’s country-specific, mobile-first applications reflect the region’s cultural and market diversity. The article describes its logistics and payment connections as ways to help sellers reach buyers across markets. Its account of payment integrations includes partnerships and systems that should be understood as the article’s description of a complex, changing ecosystem.

North America: Mexico’s industrial corridor. Nearshoring has encouraged companies to locate production closer to U.S. customers. The article points to industrial activity in Mexico, including Monterrey, and the role of USMCA rules in connecting components, manufacturing and end markets across the region.

South America: Pacific Alliance customs systems. The article describes the Pacific Alliance’s Foreign Trade Single Window (VUCE) as an effort by Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru to connect digital customs processes. Shared electronic documents can reduce reliance on paper procedures and help facilitate regional trade.

Who benefits—and what is at stake

Small and medium-sized businesses can reach customers abroad without establishing a substantial physical presence in each market. Larger groups can organise production and supply chains across several jurisdictions. Consumers may gain access to a wider choice of products and international competition. Border and rural communities may benefit when trade corridors support logistics, processing and other local activity.

The potential economic effects include productivity gains through technology and competition, sectoral modernisation, and new routes to market. These effects are not evenly distributed. Lower prices and online channels can benefit consumers while putting pressure on traditional retailers. The value of an opportunity depends on local conditions and on how its gains and costs are shared.

For an individual business, the advantages may include market diversification, economies of scale, access to different skills or suppliers, and a longer commercial life for products that have reached maturity at home. Working across borders can also expose a firm to new customer expectations and business practices.

The risks are material. A company must understand local laws, customs requirements, data protection and product standards. Currency movements can reduce margins. Transport costs, delays and returns can be difficult to manage. Language and cultural differences affect how a product is marketed and supported, while digital transactions can introduce fraud and cybersecurity risks. Cross-border expansion therefore requires preparation, adaptable operations and a clear understanding of each market—not simply access to a larger audience.

Prospects over the next ten years

Over the next decade, digital commerce, artificial intelligence, regional trade corridors, logistics and payment infrastructure will keep reshaping cross-border opportunities. Market projections suggest that global cross-border B2C e-commerce could reach approximately $21,890 billion by 2035, and B2B e-commerce more than $62,000 billion in the early 2030s. These are forecasts, not current market values.

Logistics dedicated to cross-border e-commerce is forecast to grow from $218 billion in 2026 to $1,600 billion by 2035. Nearly 75% of companies report difficulty classifying goods under Harmonized System codes, and AI tools are expected to help automate customs and compliance. These estimates are projections, not verified outcomes.

Other trends include regionalisation and South–South trade, more connected customs systems, near-market warehouses, instant payments and possible interoperability between central bank digital currencies. World Bank and World Trade Organization work points to the resilience of trade, and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) projects that Europe–Africa trade could nearly double to $1,000 billion within ten years. These developments will depend on policy, investment, technology and geopolitical conditions.

Conclusion

Cross-border opportunities can help businesses find new markets, connect complementary skills and resources, and adapt to changing demand. They can also support cooperation between communities and economies. But the border has not disappeared: regulation, logistics, currency, culture and security still shape whether an opportunity is viable.

Over the coming decade, digital tools and regional connections may make international activity easier in some respects. Businesses will still need to weigh forecasts against their own circumstances, manage risks and build flexible supply chains. The opportunity is not simply to operate in more places, but to understand how markets connect—and to develop those connections responsibly.

About the author

Georges Hathry is Managing Partner at Dean Consulting. [View his Adam Global Network profile](https://www.adamglobal.com/network/members/dean-consulting).

Sources

Sources as listed by the author.

• World Bank (2021). World Development Report: Data for Better Lives. Washington, DC.
• World Bank (2023). Connecting to Compete: Trade Logistics in the Global Economy. Washington, DC.
• World Trade Organization (2017). Trade Facilitation Agreement. Geneva.
• World Trade Organization (2026). Global Trade Outlook and Statistics, March and October 2026 updates. Geneva.
• AfCFTA Secretariat (2024). Strategy for the Implementation and Formalization of Informal Cross-border Trade. Accra.
• Boston Consulting Group (May 2026). Strengthening the Africa-Europe Corridor: Strategic Imperative in a Multipolar World.
• McKinsey & Company (2024). The Nearshoring Boom in Northern Mexico: USMCA Trade Flows and Industrial Footprints.
• McKinsey & Company (2025). Global Payments Report: The End of Traditional Correspondent Banking.
• Stripe (2024). The Merchant of Record (MoR) Playbook for International E-commerce Expansion.
• Shopify (2025). Global Commerce Report: Mobile-First Purchasing and Gen Z Cross-Border Trends.
• The Asian Banker (2024). Technical Review of Cross-Border QR Systems: The Alipay+ and ShopeePay Integration Case.
• Le, J. (December 2025). Analysis of Operation Model of Cross-Border E-Commerce in Southeast Asia: The Case of Shopee. Atlantis Press.
• Jumia Technologies AG (February 2026). Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2025.
• Uni-GR Resource Center for Cross-border Territorial Development (2022). Cross-border Territorial Development: Challenges and Opportunities. Luxembourg.