Paseo de la Reforma skyline in Mexico City
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Mexico

A practical guide for tech companies using Mexico as a base next to the US market.

Next door to the USRecord foreign investmentLarge fintech scene
#1trading partner of the United States (2026, January to August)

Source: US Census Bureau, 2026

30%federal corporate income tax

Source: PwC Tax Summaries, reviewed Aug 2026

US$40.9bnforeign direct investment in 2025, a record for the fifth year in a row

Source: Secretaría de Economía, FDI 2025

#3in Latin America and the Caribbean in the Global Innovation Index

Source: WIPO, GII 2025

01

Why Mexico

  • Inside North American supply chainsMexico is the largest trading partner of the United States, so a Mexican base puts you close to US buyers and their suppliers.
  • Investment keeps arrivingForeign direct investment reached a record US$40.9 billion in 2025, which keeps corporates and industrial parks busy buying technology.
  • Large fintech marketMore than 1,100 fintech startups operate in Mexico under a dedicated Fintech Law in force since 2018.

Source: US Census Bureau · US Commercial Service, Mexico fintech

02

Priority sectors

SectorMain hubWho to know
Fintech and financial servicesMexico CitySecretaría de Economía, Mexico City
Software, electronics and semiconductorsGuadalajaraInvest in Jalisco
Manufacturing, automotive and nearshoringMonterreyInvest Monterrey

Source: Secretaría de Economía, Ventanilla Única

03

How companies enter

  1. Step 1Soft landingA first trip with meetings booked in Mexico City, Monterrey or Guadalajara to test interest and meet partners.
  2. Step 2PilotA paid pilot with a Mexican client or partner, often still billed from home.
  3. Step 3Local companyA Mexican company set up before a notary, registered with SAT for its tax ID (RFC) and with the foreign investment registry (RNIE), once there is revenue or a team to hire.

Mexico has no startup visa: to work there, a founder or hire needs a Mexican employer (often your own local company) to request authorisation from the National Immigration Institute (INM), and the visa is then issued at a Mexican consulate.

Source: Consulate of Mexico, work permits · Secretaría de Economía, Ventanilla Única

04

Costs to plan for

  • Company setup before a notary and registration of the foreign investment (RNIE)
  • Tax registration with SAT, accounting and monthly filings
  • Employer registration with IMSS and social security contributions
  • Salaries and office space, which vary a lot from city to city

Source: PwC Tax Summaries, Mexico · Secretaría de Economía, Ventanilla Única

06 · How uGlobally can help

Plan your entry with Orbis

Orbis, our internationalization platform, checks if your company is ready, compares Mexico with other markets for your case and builds your entry plan, with the partners, potential clients and events to start with.

Rules, rates and costs change often, so check the current conditions with the sources above before you plan around them.

Considering Mexico?

Tell us about your plans in a short form.
We reply within two working days.