US September 2026 imports: server-type computer imports hit a record $37.7bn
US imports of digital processing units, mostly servers, reached a record $37.7bn (billion dollars) in September 2026, against $13.8bn a year earlier, as artificial intelligence equipment drives imports.
A data update from FactIQ, written from Census Bureau figures. What is FactIQ?
Key figures
- US imports of digital processing units (mostly servers), September 2026
- $37.7bnup from $30.3bn in August and $13.8bn in September 20252022-10-012026-09-01US imports of Digital Processing Units Exclude Subheading 8471.41 Or 8471.49, May Contain In Same Housing 1 Or 2 Of Following: Storage, Input Or Output Units, Nesoi from Total For All Countries (HS 8471500150, 10-digit) — value (US$)
- US smartphone imports, September 2026
- $5.98bnup from $3.76bn in August and 22.5% higher than a year earlier2022-10-012026-09-01US imports of Smartphones from Total For All Countries (HS 8517130000, 10-digit) — value (US$)
- US smartphone imports from China, September 2026
- $4.16bnup from $0.92bn in August, about 70% of the total2022-10-012026-09-01US imports of Smartphones from China (HS 8517130000, 10-digit) — value (US$)
- US laptop imports from China, September 2026
- $898magainst $145m a year ago2022-10-012026-09-01US imports of Portable Digtl Automatic Data Processing Machines,Weight Not More Than 10 Kg,Consisting Of At Least A Central Processing Unit,Keyboard & A Display from China (HS 8471300100, 10-digit) — value (US$)
Mexico and Taiwan supplied most of the record server imports
The Census Bureau's detailed import data by product and country now covers September 2026. Products are coded under the Harmonized System (HS), an international product classification. Imports of digital processing units (HS 8471500150, mostly servers) were $37.7bn (billion dollars), up from $30.3bn in August. That is roughly 2.7x the level a year earlier. These imports show how much US firms spend on computing equipment, including equipment for artificial intelligence (AI).
- Mexico: $20.5bn, up from $7.1bn a year ago
- Taiwan: $10.8bn, up from $5.0bn
- Thailand: $2.8bn
- Vietnam: $0.63bn
China's large share of smartphone imports fits the usual launch-month pattern
Smartphone imports were $5.98bn, up from $3.76bn in August and 22.5% higher than a year earlier. Imports from China jumped to $4.16bn from $0.92bn in August, about 70% of the total. Imports from India fell to $1.25bn, from $2.04bn in August and $2.85bn in July. This matches the usual pattern in the month new iPhones launch, not a move away from India. Last September, China also had about 71% of the total. India is still up about 50% on its $0.83bn in September 2025.
China regained share in laptop imports, and crude oil imports fell
- Laptop imports (HS 8471300100) totalled $5.09bn. Imports from China reached $898m (million dollars), against $145m a year ago. China's share is back to about 18% from 3.5%.
- Imports of crude oil of 25° API gravity or more were $5.64bn, down from $6.17bn in August. API gravity is the American Petroleum Institute's measure of how light a crude oil is.
Source: Census Bureau. See all CENSUS data in FactIQ.