Mexico

Economy & industry overview

Mexico is the second-largest economy in Latin America and the 13th-largest globally by nominal GDP, classified as an upper-middle-income, newly industrialized country. Its economy is driven by manufacturing (particularly automotive and electronics), petroleum extraction, financial services, consumer goods, telecommunications, and tourism. The United States is by far Mexico's dominant trade partner, absorbing over 80% of its exports, and the USMCA (successor to NAFTA) forms the legal backbone of this trade relationship. Mexico is a significant nearshoring destination as global supply chains diversify, and it is a member of the G20, OECD, CPTPP, and USMCA trade blocs. The Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (BMV) is the country's primary stock exchange, operating as the second-largest in Latin America by market capitalisation.

Key sectors

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Macro

GDP nominal, USD	$1.85T
GDP growth real, annual	1.5%
Inflation annual	4.7%
Population people	131.9M
GDP per capita USD	$13,741
Market cap total listed, USD	$530.00B
Market cap / GDP	28.6%
Unemployment	2.7%
Listed companies	144
Exchange	Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (BMV)

Data year: 2024. Sources: IMF World Economic Outlook (April 2025), INEGI – Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía, Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (BMV), World Bank World Development Indicators, OECD Employment Outlook 2024, Banxico (Banco de México), Focus Economics, Wikipedia – Economy of Mexico, INM – Instituto Nacional de Migración.

Local exchange & access

Exchange	Bolsa Mexicana de Valores
Code	BMV
Website	www.bmv.com.mx
Currency	MXN

Local broker access

US-based retail investors can access Mexican equities primarily through US-listed ETFs (e.g., EWW, FLMX) or through ADRs/NYSE-listed shares of major Mexican companies (e.g., AMX, FEMSA, Grupo Televisa). Direct access to the BMV is available through Mexican brokers such as GBM (Grupo Bursátil Mexicano), Actinver, Banamex Casa de Bolsa, and BBVA México Casa de Bolsa. Some international brokers (Interactive Brokers, Schwab International) also offer direct BMV access. Foreign investors are subject to Mexican withholding tax on dividends (generally 10%) and capital gains (flat 10% for residents; non-residents may face different treatment). The Mexican peso (MXN) introduces currency risk relative to USD positions.

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

Mexico allows foreign nationals to obtain Temporary Resident status based on demonstrated economic solvency (income or asset thresholds set by the National Immigration Institute, INM). No minimum real-estate investment is mandated. Permanent residency is available after four years of temporary residency, or immediately for certain categories (e.g., retirees with qualifying pension income, spouses of Mexican nationals). Mexico is a popular destination for US and Canadian retirees and digital nomads. Healthcare, housing costs, and cost of living are generally lower than in North America or Western Europe. Double-taxation treaties exist with numerous countries.