Caspian Acquires Trade-IQ to Expand Its AI Trade Advisory Platform

Caspian's acquisition of Trade-IQ marks a strategic expansion beyond duty recovery, positioning the company as a more comprehensive AI-powered trade advisory platform. By combining software automation with specialized customs expertise, Caspian aims to help importers navigate an increasingly complex landscape of tariffs, customs regulations, and global trade compliance.

A compliance-focused dashboard showing tariffs, duties, and audit workflows.

Trade-IQ adds deep domain expertise in customs classification, valuation, and duty optimization—areas that have become increasingly important as businesses face shifting tariff policies, heightened regulatory scrutiny, and more frequent customs audits. Integrating these capabilities into Caspian's platform enables customers to manage trade compliance through a more unified workflow, reducing reliance on fragmented consulting engagements and manual processes.

The acquisition also broadens Caspian's product portfolio. Alongside the deal, the company introduced new offerings, including Trade Audit and a Tariff Calculator, expanding its platform from post-import duty recovery to end-to-end duty lifecycle management. The move reflects the evolving nature of trade compliance, where businesses increasingly need continuous monitoring, tariff scenario modeling, audit readiness, and documentation—not just periodic recovery of overpaid duties.

Beyond technology, Caspian is also acquiring valuable industry expertise. Trade-IQ founder Shannon Bryant will join the company as Vice President of Trade Advisory, bringing years of experience designing customs and compliance programs for importers. Her appointment suggests Caspian is investing not only in Trade-IQ's products but also in the institutional knowledge required to translate complex regulatory guidance into scalable, AI-enabled workflows.

Although financial terms were not disclosed, the strategic rationale is clear. As international trade regulations grow more dynamic, importers are looking for platforms that can combine AI-driven insights, regulatory expertise, and operational execution in a single solution. Caspian is positioning itself to meet that demand by evolving from a specialized duty-recovery provider into a broader trade operations platform.

For customers, the acquisition could simplify trade management by consolidating compliance, advisory services, and automation into one system, reducing administrative complexity while improving visibility across global import operations. For Caspian, it represents a broader bet that the future of trade compliance will belong to platforms capable of delivering both intelligence and execution at scale.