How global trade uncertainty is reshaping martech in 2025
U.S. tariff policy is rapidly changing. The points detailed in this post were accurate at the time of publication.
In martech, disruption is worn like a badge of honor. New platforms that streamline sales, smarter ad-targeting algorithms and tools that reinvent everyday operations have all fueled the sector’s explosive growth.
But today’s disruption isn’t coming from industry leaders; it’s coming from Washington D.C. From rising semiconductor costs to retaliation against U.S. professional services and IP, the Trump-era tariff playbook is hitting martech across the value chain. As the economy cools in response and we are faced with a potential recession, a big question has entered boardrooms: how do you expand when expanding the sales team is off the table due to hiring freezes?
The answer starts with intelligence grounded in customer data and competitive research. But before we get there, let’s look at what’s unfolding.
Martech’s AI acceleration means it’s directly exposed to U.S.-imposed tariffs on semiconductors and chipmaking equipment, most of which are sourced from Taiwan. According to Barron’s, a 25% semiconductor tariff could increase the cost of a hyperscale AI data center by roughly $750 million on top of the existing $3–3.5 billion price tag.
For AI-driven platforms, that creates real pressure on pricing and delivery models. SaaS providers are also dealing with higher cloud infrastructure costs as storage and server hardware prices rise. Many are now faced with a no-win choice: absorbing the cost or passing it to customers—both risk eroding their ability to compete.
Meanwhile, before Beijing and Washington’s most recent trade deal, which at publishing time had not yet been formally signed, Chinese state media hinted that U.S. legal and consultancy firms could be targeted, and U.S. companies in China subjected to regulatory scrutiny over IP protections. Despite this deal, the volatility of the relationship between the two countries means that the future relationship continues to be uncertain.
For martech platforms built on proprietary algorithms or centralized analytics, these developments are more than complications; they’re existential threats. Pulling back from overseas markets may become an unavoidable casualty of the new American macroeconomic policy.
Tariffs are a supply chain problem, but they are also a strategy problem. With the Trump administration’s erratic approach to tariffs sowing confusion and uncertainty in seeming perpetuity, long-term investments are being shelved: Pricing strategies are harder to plan, and product launches are delayed in favor of features that deliver immediate ROI.
The result? Martech vendors are competing for smaller budgets with slower buying cycles, while their own expenses rise. In this environment, expanding the sales team often feels risky, if not irresponsible. So, how can leaders overcome this impasse?
Martech has always adapted to change. But the current wave of tariff-driven disruption is different: global in scope, systemic in impact and deeply political. In volatile, unpredictable conditions, companies that grow are those that listen to the market and move quickly based on data-backed insights.
In the immediate term, identifying which verticals offer the most promise for 2025–2026; what features are non-negotiable for customer retention; and how this ties back to your value story can help you better navigate today’s choppy waters.
Martech firms that want to do just more than survive, however, will need real visibility on:
THINKINK’s research services can help answer those questions and more, catapulting research from a support function to a strategic weapon that helps you adapt faster, sell smarter and find new paths to growth whatever challenges lie ahead.
Want to explore how THINKINK’s research services can support your martech strategy in a high-tariff world? Let’s talk.