TradeFIRST
TradeFIRST (Trade Facilitation & Integrated Risk-based System) is Singapore Customs' single, holistic assessment framework. A company is evaluated on its overall trade compliance, internal controls and security, and is placed in a band — from Basic up to Premium — that determines the customs facilitation and schemes it can access.
The higher the band a company achieves, the greater the facilitation: more generous scheme access (such as MES and the Zero-GST Warehouse Scheme), fewer interventions and smoother clearance. TradeFIRST is also the pathway to the Secure Trade Partnership (STP) — Singapore's Authorised Economic Operator programme.
TradeFIRST turns compliance into a competitive advantage: instead of being assessed separately for every scheme, a company is graded once, and a higher band unlocks better facilitation across the board. Investing in the controls that lift your TradeFIRST band pays back as faster, lighter-touch clearance.
What does a higher TradeFIRST band give you?
Access to more customs schemes and greater trade facilitation — fewer checks and smoother clearance.
Is TradeFIRST the same as STP?
No — TradeFIRST is the assessment framework; the Secure Trade Partnership (STP) is Singapore's AEO programme, reached through a high TradeFIRST outcome.