Global liquefied natural gas trade rose 5.4% to a record 56.3 billion cubic feet per day in 2025, the US Energy Information Administration said on Tuesday, citing data from the International Group of Liquefied Natural Gas Importers.
This surge was driven largely by the expansion of US export capacity, which helped meet growing global demand.
The US posted the largest increase in LNG exports of any country, with shipments climbing 26% from a year earlier to 15.1 Bcf/d, according to EIA's Natural Gas Monthly.
The agency forecasts US LNG exports will continue to grow, reaching 17.4 Bcf/d in 2026 and 18.6 Bcf/d in 2027.
US exports accounted for 26% of global LNG trade in 2025, up from 21% in 2024. Together, the US, Qatar and Australia supplied 63% of global LNG exports last year, compared with 60% a year earlier.
Canada also entered the export market after LNG Canada began operations in June, shipping 0.3 Bcf/d in 2025.
Qatar recorded the second-largest increase in LNG exports in 2025, with shipments rising 3% to 10.6 Bcf/d. However, EIA said global LNG trade has slowed in 2026 following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical export route for Qatari LNG, since Feb. 28.
The closure has disrupted about 20% of global LNG supplies, the agency said. Asian buyers, which imported over 80% of Qatar's LNG in 2025, are now competing with European buyers in the spot market as Europe seeks to rebuild gas storage inventories that remain below the five-year average.
Several major exporters, including Malaysia, Australia and Norway, reported lower LNG exports in 2025 because of maintenance-related outages.
Russian LNG exports fell 8%, or 0.4 Bcf/d, the largest volumetric decline among exporters, reflecting the impact of European Union sanctions imposed after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Europe recorded the strongest regional growth in LNG demand, with imports rising 29%, or 3.8 Bcf/d, in 2025.
The region's seven largest importers each increased purchases, up within the 0.4 Bcf/d to 0.6 Bcf/d range. EIA said the expiration of the Ukraine-Russia gas transit agreement at the end of 2024 reduced pipeline gas supplies to Europe, increasing the region's reliance on LNG.
By contrast, LNG imports into Asia fell 4% to 35.7 Bcf/d. The decline was driven largely by a 15%, or 1.5 Bcf/d, drop in Chinese imports as the country expanded pipeline gas imports and increased domestic natural gas production.
Egypt nearly quadrupled LNG imports in 2025, from 0.3 Bcf/d a year earlier to 1.2 Bcf/d, to offset domestic supply shortages. Bahrain and Senegal each imported their first LNG cargoes during the year, although volumes remained below 0.1 Bcf/d.
LNG imports across the rest of the Middle East and Africa were broadly unchanged, while imports into the Americas declined by 0.3 Bcf/d.