EC21
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersSeoul, South Korea
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
EC21 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- EC21
- Legal name
- EC21 Inc.
- Website
- https://ec21.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
EC21 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- B2B E-commerce Marketplace
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518210)
- akta.pro primary industry
- B2B Marketplaces & Wholesale Platforms (BPAMAGAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Cross-border B2B/Wholesale Trade Marketplaces (CRAFAJAC)
Keywords
Where EC21 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seoul
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
EC21 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Premium Membership Subscriptions: Subscription-based revenue from premium memberships (Trade OK and Trade PRO tiers) offering enhanced features like increased product posting limits, priority search listing, and buyer database access
- Advertising: Banner advertisements on main page, buy/sell sections, keyword/category search results, login pages, and newsletter placements. Professional ad design is provided free of charge.
- Trade Alert Service: Subscription service for product alerts to receive updates on new products matching buyer preferences
- Credit Reports: Supplier credit report services allowing buyers to check supplier reliability before finalizing deals
- Escrow Payment Services: Secure escrow payment services for trade transactions
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free Membership - Basic services for all members |
| Subscription | Annual | Trade OK - Cost-effective premium marketing tool |
| Subscription | Annual | Trade PRO - Most powerful marketing tool |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
EC21 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
EC21 operates a global B2B e-commerce marketplace that connects international buyers with manufacturers, suppliers, and exporters through product catalogs, supplier directories, and trade inquiry facilitation. The platform generates revenue through premium membership subscriptions (Trade OK and Trade PRO tiers), banner advertising, and supplementary trade services such as TradeVerify verification, supplier credit reports, and secure escrow payments. Membership exceeds 2.5 million across 200+ countries with 7 million product listings spanning 43 industry categories.
Product overview
EC21 operates as a comprehensive B2B e-commerce platform connecting buyers with verified manufacturers, suppliers, and exporters worldwide since 1997. The core product is the EC21 Global B2B Marketplace, which provides product catalogs (7M+ products), supplier directories, buying leads, trade verification, and secure escrow payment services. The platform is complemented by two premium membership tiers—Trade PRO and Trade OK—that offer enhanced visibility through priority search listings, access to the Global Buyer Directory (3M+ buyer companies), Credit Reports for supplier verification, TradeVerify for company credibility marking, and Mobile Homepage services for members. The architecture functions as a platform-plus-premium-modules model where the core marketplace is free to access, with revenue generated through premium subscriptions and advertising services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- EC21 Global B2B Marketplace A comprehensive B2B e-commerce platform connecting global buyers with verified manufacturers, suppliers, and exporters, featuring 7M+ product catalogs, supplier directories, buying leads, TradeVerify verification, and secure escrow payment services across 43 industry categories.
- Trade PRO Premium Membership Premium membership tier offering top-level priority search listing, access to the 2.5M+ global buyer database, ability to post up to 500 products, featured product advertisement, verified company mark, statistics tools, industry trends, and customizable storefront design.
- Trade OK Premium Membership Cost-effective premium membership tier allowing suppliers to post up to 200 products with second-level priority search listing and automatic circular letter sending to potential buyers.
- Credit Reports Standalone paid service allowing buyers to check supplier credit information before finalizing business deals to mitigate trading risks on the EC21 marketplace.
- TradeVerify Verification service that builds trust on the platform by highlighting verified supplier homepages with a TradeVerify mark to establish credibility with potential trading partners.
- Global Buyer Directory Proprietary database of approximately 3 million global buyer companies across various industries and regions, with over 95% up-to-date company information, available to premium members with search capabilities by keyword, category, or both.
- Secure Escrow Payment Escrow payment service that secures transactions between buyers and sellers on the EC21 platform, protecting funds until transaction terms are completed by both parties.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 50 million buyers and suppliers visit EC21.com through major search engines annually
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use EC21
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
EC21 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
EC21 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- tradeKoreaminorTradeKorea banner advertising partnership displayed on EC21 main page, directing users to tradeKorea.com for additional B2B marketplace services.
- KITA (Korea International Trade Association)minorKITA banner displayed on EC21 footer linking to kita.org, promoting Korean trade association services to EC21 members.
- KOSME (Korea Small and Medium Enterprise Trade Association)minorKOSME banner displayed on EC21 footer linking to kosmes.or.kr, promoting SME trade association services.
- KOTRA (Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency)minorKOTRA banner displayed on EC21 footer linking to kotra.or.kr/english, promoting Korean trade and investment promotion agency.
- KFEZ (Korea Free Economic Zone)minorKFEZ banner displayed on EC21 footer linking to fecealedgo.kr/portal/en/main.do, promoting Korean free economic zones.
- Trade Organizations and Industry FairscoreEC21 compiles buyer data from industry fairs, trade organizations, and commercial lists, creating a proprietary database of 3 million global buyers from over 60 sources.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
EC21 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ECVV: China-based B2B marketplace specializing in product sourcing, supplier verification, and procurement services. Direct competitor to EC21 in the China-export-focused B2B marketplace space, offering escrow and inspection services.
- TradeIndia: India's largest B2B marketplace connecting Indian manufacturers and suppliers with domestic and global buyers. Comparable platform serving one of EC21's largest membership geographies (India), with similar freemium premium listing model.
- DHgate: China-based B2B cross-border e-commerce platform focused on small and medium-sized buyers. Overlaps with EC21 in connecting Chinese suppliers with international buyers, though DHgate typically handles smaller order quantities and more transaction-fee-driven revenue.
- Alibaba.com (Alibaba Group): Alibaba.com is the world's largest B2B e-commerce marketplace, connecting Chinese/global manufacturers and exporters with international buyers. Directly comparable to EC21 as the primary global B2B marketplace competitor, with a much larger supplier base, integrated payments (Alipay), and extensive logistics services.
- Made-in-China (Focus Technology): Leading China-based B2B marketplace operated by Focus Technology, connecting Chinese manufacturers with global buyers. Operates with similar freemium/premium tier model and supplier verification services, competing head-to-head with EC21 for international sourcing traffic from China.
- TradeKey: Pakistan-headquartered global B2B marketplace serving manufacturers and buyers across emerging markets. Direct competitor targeting similar SME exporters in Asia, Middle East, and Africa with comparable freemium subscription model.
- Global Sources: Hong Kong-headquartered B2B marketplace focused on connecting Asian suppliers with international buyers, particularly through trade shows and verified supplier programs. Directly competes with EC21 for paid premium listings, supplier verification (Verified Supplier), and trade inquiry volume.
Broad incumbents
- Kompass: Global B2B directory and marketplace connecting buyers with suppliers across 70+ countries, with strong European presence. Comparable to EC21 as a horizontal B2B marketplace platform, though more directory-oriented than transactional.
- HKTDC (Hong Kong Trade Development Council): Government-backed organization operating hktdc.com B2B sourcing platform alongside physical trade fairs. Functions as a broader trade promotion incumbent with marketplace, exhibition, and research services that overlap with EC21's supplier discovery and verification offerings.
- ThomasNet: Established North American industrial B2B sourcing platform connecting buyers with manufacturers and suppliers across industrial product categories. Broader incumbent with stronger industrial/manufacturing vertical focus compared to EC21's broader cross-border consumer and industrial coverage.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
EC21 social profiles
Digital presenceEC21 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
EC21 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
EC21 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
EC21 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about EC21
What does EC21 do?
EC21 operates a global B2B e-commerce marketplace that connects international buyers with manufacturers, suppliers, and exporters through product catalogs, supplier directories, and trade inquiry facilitation. The platform generates revenue through premium membership subscriptions (Trade OK and Trade PRO tiers), banner advertising, and supplementary trade services such as TradeVerify verification, supplier credit reports, and secure escrow payments. Membership exceeds 2.5 million across 200+ countries with 7 million product listings spanning 43 industry categories.
Is EC21 a public or private company?
EC21 is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was EC21 founded?
EC21 was founded in 1997. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is EC21 based?
EC21 is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does EC21 make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Premium Membership Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are advertising, trade Alert Service, credit Reports and escrow Payment Services.
Who are EC21's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ECVV, TradeIndia, DHgate, Alibaba.com (Alibaba Group), Made-in-China (Focus Technology), TradeKey and Global Sources. Broad incumbents are Kompass, HKTDC (Hong Kong Trade Development Council) and ThomasNet.
Does EC21 have an API?
No public API is recorded for EC21.
What industry is EC21 in?
EC21's product category is B2B E-commerce Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAGAD, B2B Marketplaces & Wholesale Platforms, with a secondary code of CRAFAJAC, Cross-border B2B/Wholesale Trade Marketplaces. Its NAICS code is 518210.