Colombia

Economy & industry overview

Colombia is the fourth-largest economy in Latin America, with a nominal GDP of approximately $457 billion in 2025. The economy is driven by services, hydrocarbons (primarily oil and coal), agriculture (coffee, flowers, bananas), manufacturing, and a growing financial sector. Petroleum and coal together account for roughly half of merchandise export revenues, making the country sensitive to global commodity prices. Colombia is a member of the Pacific Alliance and has signed multiple free-trade agreements, giving its exporters broad market access. The country has a large and growing consumer class but faces structural challenges including income inequality, informality, and infrastructure gaps.

Key sectors

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Macro

GDP nominal, USD	$457.41B
GDP growth real, annual	2.6%
Inflation annual	4.8%
Population people	52.9M
GDP per capita USD	$8,623
Market cap total listed, USD	$236.00B
Market cap / GDP	51.6%
Unemployment	8.9%
Listed companies	89
Exchange	Bolsa de Valores de Colombia (Colombia Securities Exchange) (BVC)

Data year: 2025. Sources: IMF World Economic Outlook (April 2026), World Bank National Accounts, Banco de la República de Colombia – Report to Congress July 2025, Bolsa de Valores de Colombia (BVC) – official statistics, DANE (Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadístico), FocusEconomics Colombia Profile, BBVA Research Colombia Labour Market 2025, Wikipedia – Colombia Stock Exchange, Wikipedia – Economy of Colombia, Trading Economics – Colombia, CEOWORLD Magazine – Colombia largest companies by market cap (Feb 2025).

Local exchange & access

Exchange	Bolsa de Valores de Colombia (Colombia Securities Exchange)
Code	BVC
Website	www.bvc.com.co
Currency	COP

Local broker access

Direct retail access to the BVC (Bolsa de Valores de Colombia) requires an account with a locally licensed brokerage (comisionista de bolsa) regulated by the Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia. Some international brokers provide access to Colombian ADRs (such as Bancolombia CIB and Ecopetrol EC) traded on the NYSE. US-listed ETFs such as GXG (Global X MSCI Colombia ETF) offer indirect exposure. Settlement on the BVC is T+2. Foreign investors may repatriate capital and dividends subject to standard FX registration requirements with the Banco de la República.

Global brokers with foreign-market access

• Interactive Brokers — Direct access to 90+ markets worldwide, including many emerging exchanges.
• Saxo Bank — Multi-market access across Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
• Charles Schwab (Global) — Foreign ordinary shares on select markets; US-listed ADRs and ETFs.
• Fidelity International Trading — International stock trading on a number of developed and emerging markets.

Listed for convenience only — not a recommendation. Available markets, fees and onboarding rules differ by broker and by your country of residence.

Relocation & residency

Foreign-investor access

Colombia is a popular destination for foreign residents and digital nomads. The country does not levy worldwide income tax on non-resident foreigners in their first year of residency; after becoming tax-resident (183+ days in a 365-day period), individuals are taxed on worldwide income. Cost of living is generally low relative to North America and Europe. Medellín and Bogotá are major hubs for international entrepreneurs and remote workers. Spanish is the official language. Safety conditions vary significantly by region.