Product intelligence · HS 490700 · 2024 data

Unused postage, revenue or similar stamps of current or new issue in the country in which they have, or will have, a recognised face value: stamp-impressed paper: cheque forms: banknotes, stock, share or bond certificates and the like of similar title

Global exports of unused postage, revenue or similar stamps of current or new issue in the country in which they have, or will have, a recognised face value: stamp-impressed paper: cheque forms: banknotes, stock, share or bond certificates and the like of similar title totalled $7,094,321,241 in 2024, a +35.8% change from the previous year. Traded by 189 countries across 3,655 bilateral corridors, with demand from 192 importing markets. The long-term trend is rapid growth.

Data: OECD BIMTS · Coverage: 19952024 · Updated: 2026-07-17

Global trade

$7.1B

+35.8% YoY

3Y / 5Y CAGR

+14.2%

5Y: +12.9%

Supply structure

Concentrated

HHI 0.282

Volatility

Low

Score 13/100

1.

Market movement

In 2024, unused postage, revenue or similar stamps of current or new issue in the country in which they have, or will have, a recognised face value: stamp-impressed paper: cheque forms: banknotes, stock, share or bond certificates and the like of similar title trade exhibited strong growth, with global flows reaching $7,094,321,241 and a three-year compound annual growth rate of +14.2% (five-year: +12.9%). The all-time peak of $7,094,321,241 was recorded in 2024.

Over the 30-year observation window (19952024), 72% of years recorded positive growth, indicating a predominantly expanding market. Trend momentum is strengthening (+4.9% acceleration).

The World Trade Flows Characterization classifies unused postage, revenue or similar stamps of current or new issue in the country in which they have, or will have, a recognised face value: stamp-impressed paper: cheque forms: banknotes, stock, share or bond certificates and the like of similar title as "One-way trade" in the unclassified price segment, providing additional context for market positioning and competitive dynamics.

2.

Supply & demand structure

The supply side is concentrated (Herfindahl-Hirschman Index 0.282). The three largest exporters — United Arab Emirates ($3.5B), United States ($1.4B), and Egypt ($397.7M) — collectively dominate supply flows. The leading exporter has grown at +200.7% over the last three years.

On the demand side, importer concentration is diversified (HHI 0.092). The three largest import markets are Armenia ($1.5B), China ($772.9M), and Afghanistan ($726.4M). The largest importing market sources from 10 different supplying countries.

The dominant trade corridor is United Arab Emirates → Armenia at $1.5B, representing 99.4% of the importer's total demand.

3.

Risk profile & trade outlook

The volatility score for unused postage, revenue or similar stamps of current or new issue in the country in which they have, or will have, a recognised face value: stamp-impressed paper: cheque forms: banknotes, stock, share or bond certificates and the like of similar title is 13 out of 100, classified as low. Trade flows are relatively stable compared to other HS6 products, suggesting mature supply chains and predictable demand.

For market entrants, strong demand tailwinds create a favourable entry environment. The concentrated supply structure suggests high barriers but also potential opportunity if dominant suppliers face disruption or capacity constraints.

Data confidence is rated "High" based on reporting coverage and consistency across OECD member and partner countries.

Historical evidence

Annual trade value 19952024

Peak: $7,094,321,241 in 2024.

YearGlobal trade (USD)YoY growth
2015$2,284,570,610-21.8%
2016$2,028,800,088-11.2%
2017$2,465,541,475+21.5%
2018$3,284,663,423+33.2%
2019$3,859,886,792+17.5%
2020$4,018,194,553+4.1%
2021$4,763,441,345+18.5%
2022$5,890,531,860+23.7%
2023$5,224,884,163-11.3%
2024$7,094,321,241+35.8%

Top exporting countries

Ranked by export value of unused postage, revenue or similar stamps of current or new issue in the country in which they have, or will have, a recognised face value: stamp-impressed paper: cheque forms: banknotes, stock, share or bond certificates and the like of similar title in 2024.

View all 189 exporters →

Top importing markets

Largest import destinations for unused postage, revenue or similar stamps of current or new issue in the country in which they have, or will have, a recognised face value: stamp-impressed paper: cheque forms: banknotes, stock, share or bond certificates and the like of similar title.

View all 192 markets →

Leading trade corridors

Largest bilateral export flows for unused postage, revenue or similar stamps of current or new issue in the country in which they have, or will have, a recognised face value: stamp-impressed paper: cheque forms: banknotes, stock, share or bond certificates and the like of similar title, ranked by value. Click any country to view its full profile.

#ExporterImporterValue 20243Y CAGR
1United Arab EmiratesArmenia$1.5B+319.3%
2United Arab EmiratesAfghanistan$726.4M+1757.6%
3United StatesDR Congo$656.6M+42.4%
4United Arab EmiratesRussia$539.8M+9511.1%
5United Arab EmiratesKyrgyzstan$306.4M+17697.0%
6United StatesChina$279.4M+3.4%
7United StatesSouth Africa$254.2M-14.9%
8United Arab EmiratesUnited States$183.9M+59.2%

Showing top 8 of 10 corridors with available data for 2024.

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Sources, definitions & methodology

Data source

OECD Bilateral International Merchandise Trade Statistics (BIMTS). Aggregated from 312M+ reported trade records across 200+ countries and 5,300+ HS6 product codes. Coverage: 19952024.

Key indicators

HHI (Herfindahl-Hirschman Index): market concentration, 0 = fully diversified, 1 = single player. CAGR: compound annual growth rate over a stated period. Volatility score: trade value variability, 0–100 scale.

How this page is made

All statistical content on this page is data-driven, composed programmatically from live OECD trade records. No generic AI-generated prose is used. Analytical paragraphs combine real data points with factual interpretation. This page was last refreshed on 2026-07-17.