According to EXIM, its mission is to provide trade finance 'in cases where the private sector is unable or unwilling to provide financing or when such support is necessary to level the playing field due to financing provided by foreign governments to their exporters that compete with U.S. exporters'.

Notably, the bank is a fully government-owned corporation and acts as an independent executive agency.

EXIM is the export credit agency of the United States that provides competitive financing to businesses to facilitate the export of U.S. goods and services to foreign buyers. EXIM provides direct loans, loan guarantees, export credit insurance, and guarantees of working capital loans to help businesses compete in foreign markets.