Key Takeaways
- China’s e-cigarette-related exports totaled about USD 903 million in March 2026, compared with about USD 865 million in the same month a year earlier, representing year-on-year growth of about 4.4%.
- The United States, the United Kingdom and Germany remained the top three export destinations, with export values of about USD 233 million, USD 100 million and USD 62.49 million respectively.
- The top five markets accounted for about 56.2% of total exports, while the top 10 markets accounted for about 72.2%.
- The U.S. market represented about 25.8% of total exports in March and remained the key variable influencing overall export fluctuations.
- Asian markets including South Korea, Japan and Malaysia continued to expand, with Japan rising to sixth place, while the UAE continued to serve as a regional node and transshipment hub.
2Firsts, April 21, 2026
According to Customs of China, China’s e-cigarette-related exports totaled about USD 903 million in March 2026. Using the roughly USD 865 million recorded in the same month a year earlier as a reference, this represented year-on-year growth of about 4.4%.
March exports continued to grow
The data showed that China’s e-cigarette exports continued to grow in March, although the pace of growth slowed significantly compared with the earlier period of higher elasticity. The export pattern is gradually shifting from overall volume expansion to structural divergence.
The U.S., U.K. and Germany remained the top three
From the monthly export structure, China’s e-cigarette exports remained highly concentrated in leading markets. In March 2026, the United States remained the largest market with exports of about USD 233 million, followed by the United Kingdom at about USD 100 million and Germany at about USD 62.49 million.
Russia ranked fourth with about USD 56.75 million, South Korea ranked fifth with about USD 55.53 million, Japan ranked sixth with about USD 36.28 million, Malaysia remained in the top 10 with about USD 31.56 million, the United Arab Emirates maintained a stable scale at about USD 25.93 million, Canada entered the top 10 with about USD 25.13 million, and Croatia also entered the top 10 with about USD 25.07 million.
The top 10 markets accounted for more than 70%
In terms of concentration, the top five markets accounted for about 56.2% of total exports, while the top 10 markets accounted for about 72.2%, showing that China’s e-cigarette exports still displayed a clear head-market concentration pattern.
The U.S. remained the core driver
In terms of market structure, the United States remained the core driver of China’s e-cigarette exports.
In March, the U.S. market accounted for about 25.8% of total exports and remained the key variable influencing overall export fluctuations.
European markets remained resilient
In addition to the United Kingdom and Germany maintaining high levels, markets including Poland, the Netherlands, France, Italy and Spain continued to show relatively strong absorption capacity, indicating that the European market is in a stage of restructuring rather than withdrawal.
Asian markets continued to gain weight
Asian markets including South Korea, Japan, Malaysia and Indonesia continued to expand. Japan rose to sixth place in the month, indicating that second-tier Asian markets are playing a stronger supporting role in overall exports.
The Middle East remained active
The United Arab Emirates continued to serve as a regional node and transshipment hub while maintaining a stable scale.
Image source: Customs of China
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