EC21

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

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

• B2B marketplace platform
• Global trade directory
• Wholesale sourcing platform
• Supplier verification service
• Export import platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. 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
2. 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.
3. Trade Alert Service: Subscription service for product alerts to receive updates on new products matching buyer preferences
4. Credit Reports: Supplier credit report services allowing buyers to check supplier reliability before finalizing deals
5. Escrow Payment Services: Secure escrow payment services for trade transactions

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core 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

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• tradeKoreaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTradeKorea banner advertising partnership displayed on EC21 main page, directing users to tradeKorea.com for additional B2B marketplace services.
• KITA (Korea International Trade Association)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerKITA 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)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerKOSME banner displayed on EC21 footer linking to kosmes.or.kr, promoting SME trade association services.
• KOTRA (Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerKOTRA banner displayed on EC21 footer linking to kotra.or.kr/english, promoting Korean trade and investment promotion agency.
• KFEZ (Korea Free Economic Zone)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerKFEZ banner displayed on EC21 footer linking to fecealedgo.kr/portal/en/main.do, promoting Korean free economic zones.
• Trade Organizations and Industry FairscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEC21 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

Direct 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

• Xx.com/ec21talk
• Facebookfacebook.com/EC21com
• Instagraminstagram.com/ec21_global_b2b_marketplace
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ec21

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EC21