Economic relations between Greece and the United States are gaining momentum, driven by strategic alignment in political and military affairs and expanding cooperation in energy, infrastructure and advanced technology, according to a special report by the Greek Embassy in Washington.
The relationship extends well beyond traditional trade, with energy emerging as its strongest pillar. Greece is increasingly serving as a hub for American liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies intended to replace Russian gas in Europe, while the Vertical Energy Corridor and the planned Eastern Mediterranean Energy Center are strengthening cooperation among Greece, Cyprus, Israel and the United States.
American energy companies Chevron and ExxonMobil are also taking leading roles in renewed hydrocarbon exploration in Greece, marking a new phase in the two countries’ geopolitical and economic cooperation.
Trade in goods and services reaches €13 billion to €14 billion
Trade in goods and services between Greece and the United States is on an upward trajectory, with its total value estimated at €13 billion to €14 billion annually.
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Greece records a surplus in both services and goods, amounting to €4.4 billion in services and €60 million in goods. Tourism accounts for at least 60% of the services surplus, reflecting strong visitor flows from the United States to Greece.
Greek exports to the U.S. market have remained resilient despite the imposition of tariffs. During the first half of 2026, exports of food and beverages declined, with cheese and olive oil among the exceptions, while petroleum products and most categories of industrial goods increased.
Greek exports to the United States are divided roughly equally among petroleum products, industrial goods, and food and beverages. U.S. exports to Greece, meanwhile, rely primarily on liquefied natural gas.
U.S. investment in Greece
Cumulative U.S. investment in Greece between 2015 and 2025 stood at approximately €3.1 billion, making the United States the country’s eighth-largest source of investment capital.
The embassy’s report notes, however, that the figures may understate actual American investment. The Netherlands, Cyprus and Luxembourg rank fourth through sixth, respectively, and attract holding companies partly because of their favorable tax regimes. The report therefore estimates that the actual amount of U.S. capital invested in Greece is higher than the official figures suggest.
U.S. portfolio holdings in long-term securities issued by Greece have also increased significantly from €15.7 billion in 2024, according to the report.
American companies have established a presence across several sectors, including technology, finance, manufacturing, logistics, pharmaceuticals, health care, tourism and energy.
Technology and digital infrastructure
Advanced technology is among the main areas of American investment in Greece, particularly data centers and cloud computing.
Microsoft, Digital Realty, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google, Oracle and other major companies have established operations in the country. Microsoft has announced plans to build three data centers in Spata, near Athens, while AWS has reached an agreement with Greece’s Public Power Corporation to jointly develop a data center in Western Macedonia.
AWS established a Greek subsidiary in 2021 to provide cloud services. Cisco has also opened a Digital Transformation and Skills Center in Thessaloniki.
Digital Realty entered the Greek market in 2020 by acquiring Lamda Helix, which operated two data centers, ATH1 and ATH2. It has since built and operates two additional facilities, ATH3 and HER1. Another data center, ATH4, is under construction, while ATH5 is in the planning stage.
American acquisitions have also extended to Greek technology companies. Meta acquired audio-plugin developer Accusonus in 2022 for approximately €100 million, while Prodege acquired survey platform Pollfish that year for around €80 million.
In financial services, JPMorgan acquired a 49% stake in Viva Wallet in 2022. The two sides subsequently became involved in a prolonged legal dispute in New York courts.
Manufacturing, shipping and logistics
The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation has supported efforts to rebuild Greece’s shipbuilding industry by providing a $120 million credit facility to ONEX for the Elefsina shipyards.
The agency is also participating, alongside Piraeus Bank, in the development of the Thriasio Freight Center in western Attica by a consortium led by Goldair.
Meanwhile, investment firm H.I.G. Capital, through its subsidiary OB Streem, is investing €300 million in the Hull Logistics Center, also known as Hull Gateway, in Aspropyrgos. OB Streem has also acquired Med Frigo.
Greek businesses maintain a substantial presence in the U.S. market as well, with investments spanning cement production by TITAN, pipe manufacturing by CPW America, battery production by Sunlight, food and beverages by FAGE, Megas Yeeros and Kourellas, and warehouse-management technology by Mantis. These businesses support thousands of jobs, according to the report.
Pharmaceuticals and health care
Pfizer’s operations in Thessaloniki represent the most significant American presence in Greece’s pharmaceutical sector. They include the company’s Center for Digital Innovation and its Global Business Services facilities.
American private equity firms have also played an important role in consolidating Greece’s private hospital market.
Hellenic Healthcare Group (HHG), the country’s largest private hospital network, owns major facilities including Metropolitan Hospital, HYGEIA, MITERA and LETO. The group was built through significant investment by CVC Capital Partners, which completed a landmark agreement in January 2025 to sell a 60% stake in HHG to Abu Dhabi-based PureHealth.
The New York-based Stavros Niarchos Foundation is financing a $500 million Global Health Initiative to design, build and equip three hospitals in Komotini, Thessaloniki and Sparta.
American hotel groups expand across Greece
U.S. hotel chains have significantly expanded their presence in Greece. They are estimated to operate or have partnership agreements with approximately 400 properties nationwide, accounting for more than 37,000 rooms.
At least 45% of Greece’s total five-star hotel capacity is estimated to belong to international chains, particularly American brands.
Hilton has expanded from a single hotel in Greece to more than 50 operating properties, with over 20 additional hotels under development.
Marriott manages more than 60 hotels in Greece, with over 6,000 rooms across several brands. InterContinental Hotels Group has a significant presence on the islands, while Hyatt operates the Grand Hyatt Athens. Hard Rock International is developing a resort at Ellinikon, the major redevelopment project on the site of Athens’ former airport.
Chevron and ExxonMobil lead hydrocarbon exploration
Chevron and ExxonMobil are the main American energy companies leading renewed efforts to explore for hydrocarbons in Greece.
In February 2026, Chevron and Greek energy company HELLENiQ Energy signed a lease agreement covering 47,000 square kilometers across four exploration blocks: South Peloponnese, A2, South Crete I and South Crete II.
In mid-2026, Chevron expanded its presence by acquiring a 70% stake from HELLENiQ Energy in the exploration and development rights for Block 10 in the Kyparissia Gulf.
Geophysical surveys and two- and three-dimensional seismic studies are scheduled for the second half of 2026, while deep exploratory drilling is projected for 2030 to 2032.
ExxonMobil acquired a 60% stake in Block 2 in the northwestern Ionian Sea in late 2025, partnering with Energean, which holds 30%, and HELLENiQ Energy, which holds 10%. The consortium is moving toward the active exploration-drilling phase.
ExxonMobil is also planning an exploration program southwest of Crete. Its consortium has signed an agreement with Stena Drilling to begin a drilling operation in Greece that the report describes as the country’s first in 40 years. The drilling is officially scheduled to begin in February 2027.
U.S. LNG becomes central to Greece’s energy strategy
The report identifies liquefied natural gas as a major driver of the growing economic relationship. The United States is already the world’s largest LNG exporter, and the industry is projected to become the country’s second-largest export sector by 2031.
The expansion of U.S. LNG has created opportunities for Greece on two fronts: replacing Russian natural gas with American supplies and helping transport those supplies to Central Europe and the Balkans through the Vertical Energy Corridor.
Between 2020 and 2025, the United States became Greece’s main LNG supplier. American LNG imports rose from 800,000 metric tons in 2020 to 1.91 million metric tons in 2025, out of total Greek LNG imports of 2.16 million metric tons.
The Vertical Energy Corridor is intended to place Greece at the center of efforts to increase U.S. gas exports to Europe and reduce the region’s reliance on Russian supplies.
Greece’s role is supported by two key entry points for LNG: the regasification terminal at Revithoussa and the floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) in Alexandroupolis. The corridor’s planned final capacity is 10 billion cubic meters (bcm).
The initiative involves nine transmission system operators across seven core countries: Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Moldova and Ukraine. Additional pipeline construction would also connect North Macedonia and Serbia to infrastructure developed through Greece.
The corridor is presented by the United States as a central instrument for expanding American energy exports and strengthening regional security partnerships. Greece is expected to serve as a regional hub for delivering American gas directly to countries that previously relied heavily on Russian supplies.
Long-term LNG agreements and new infrastructure
Cooperation is also expanding through commercial agreements. Greek consortium Atlantic-SEE LNG Trade, owned 60% by AKTOR Group and 40% by DEPA, doubled its original long-term supply agreement with American energy company Venture Global.
Starting in 2030, the Greek consortium will receive 1 million metric tons of LNG annually from the United States for 20 years, with the gas intended for distribution through the Vertical Energy Corridor.
In a June 2026 auction, Atlantic-SEE LNG Trade secured 25% of the Alexandroupolis FSRU’s annual capacity, equivalent to approximately 1 million metric tons.
AKTOR also agreed on July 9, 2026, to acquire a 50% stake in Dioriga Gas, a subsidiary of Motor Oil that aims to develop Greece’s second FSRU.
The Greece-Cyprus-Israel-U.S. partnership
The report also highlights the “3+1” initiative, a strategic framework for regional cooperation among Greece, Cyprus and Israel, with the active participation and support of the United States.
The initiative builds on the trilateral partnership among the three Eastern Mediterranean countries and aims to promote geopolitical stability, energy security and economic development across the region.
U.S. support was formally reinforced in 2019, when Congress passed the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act.
The planned establishment of the Eastern Mediterranean Energy Center at the Baker Institute is also presented as part of efforts to strengthen cooperation among the four partners.
Taken together, the report portrays the economic relationship between Greece and the United States as increasingly broad-based, combining trade and investment with energy infrastructure, LNG supply agreements, hydrocarbon exploration, technology and regional partnerships.