Daily Cross-Border E-Commerce Briefing | April 25, 2025
1. Shopify Retires checkout.liquid; Google & YouTube App Becomes Mandatory
- Shopify’s Post-Checkout Migration sets Aug 28 2025 (Plus) and Aug 26 2026 (non-Plus) as hard deadlines. Stores that fail to migrate will lose all conversion tracking on Thank-you and Order-status pages, undermining SEO attribution and Smart Bidding performance. The Google-built app consolidates GA4, Google Ads, Merchant Center and Customer Match, providing cookieless, durable measurement.
Source: PPC News Feed, Published on: April 24, 2025
2. FedEx Surround® Launches in Vietnam & 10-Digit HTS Rule for China→US FICP
- FedEx’s three-tier Surround® suite offers real-time temperature, delay and shock alerts with 24/7 intervention. From Apr 25, FICP parcels of Chinese origin to the U.S. must include a 10-digit HTS code and FedEx account for duty payment; labels lacking this data will be blocked at creation.
Source: FedEx Vietnam Service News, Published on: April 24, 2025
3. Coinbase Waives All Fees on PayPal USD (PYUSD) Stablecoin
- Merchants can now buy, sell and transfer PYUSD with zero fees and redeem 1:1 for USD. The partnership aims to deploy stablecoin-based B2B terms, payroll and DeFi checkout, targeting a 2–3 % reduction in cross-border payment costs.
Source: Reuters, Published on: April 24, 2025
4. TikTok Shop US Operations Shift Under Douyin Leadership
- Head of TikTok Shop US Nicolas Le Bourgeois now reports to former Douyin VP Mu Qing as ByteDance consolidates global e-commerce oversight amid weak US GMV and a looming divest-or-ban deadline.
Source: Business Insider, Published on: April 24, 2025
5. Chinese Exporters Turn to Middle East & Africa Amid 145 % Tariff
- Factory owners cite razor-thin 2–3 % domestic margins and delayed payments; many prefer buyers in Saudi Arabia, East Africa and Central Asia, despite government “sell local” campaigns.
Source: Reuters, Published on: April 24, 2025
6. Saudia Cargo & China Cargo Airlines Create Belt-and-Road Air Bridge
- The MoU signed at IATA WCS Dubai will align schedules, warehouses and marketing to cut transit times by 24 h and support Vision 2030’s e-commerce growth.
Source: Airgroup, Published on: April 24, 2025
7. Drewry Forecasts Global Container Volume to Fall 1 % on Tariff Shock
- The consultancy warns of the third decline since 1979; blank sailings will rise and Shanghai-Los Angeles spot rates already dipped 2 % week-over-week.
Source: Reuters, Published on: April 24, 2025
Strategic Recommendations
- Migrate Google tags: Switch to the Google & YouTube App before enforcement to safeguard attribution.
- Adopt predictive logistics: Opt for FedEx Surround® Preferred for real-time exception alerts.
- Enable PYUSD checkout: Offer fee-free stablecoin payments for U.S. buyers.
- Optimize TikTok Live: Join official accelerators and partner with certified creators.
- Diversify markets: Allocate ad budget to GCC and Africa, leveraging the KSA-CN air corridor.
Conclusion
- Modernizing tracking, embracing low-cost digital payments and rerouting supply chains toward tariff-friendly regions are key to preserving margins in 2025.
- Stay alert to policy and logistics signals to convert disruption into durable growth.
