Bricklink removes 35 more countries from its platform

After China in 2024 and the Philippines this year, Bricklink announces it will cut off access to its platform to 35 new countries by December 12, 2025.

The announcement has been made rather discreetly and the notice given to both sellers and customers from the listed countries seems a little short.

At this stage, it's unclear why LEGO is abandoning its presence in these countries through its specialized marketplace. The manufacturer does, however, have a presence in some of these countries through its official stores, franchised retail outlets, a network of resellers, and even, in some cases, through a manufacturing facility or theme park that operates under the LEGO license. Several of these countries also host fan groups recognized by the manufacturer and supported through the LEGO Ambassador Network (LAN) program.

We know that the withdrawal from China was justified by the impossibility of complying with local requirements regarding the storage of personal data collected on Bricklink: China wanted this data to be stored on its territory, Bricklink's servers are located in the USA.

The Philippines' withdrawal is linked to new customs regulations in the country. LEGO claims the situation is only temporary, but it's hard to believe that given the newly published exclusion list.

There is much speculation about the expansion of the list of countries that can no longer benefit from the marketplace: problems with customs regulation, management of import taxes, legislation concerning personal data, there are a thousand reasons why LEGO might decide to block a country rather than spend time and money to comply with its rules.

The exclusion of almost all of South America, a large part of the Middle East, and new countries in Europe and Asia has caused consternation among all those who relied on the platform, either as sellers or to obtain LEGO products in the absence of an official distribution channel in the country concerned. For those wondering, Greenland is a territory that has been part of the Kingdom of Denmark since 1953 but has been autonomous since 1979.

We know that since LEGO acquired Bricklink from the South Korean group Nexon in 2019, the manufacturer has transformed the marketplace, often outside the basic rules of taxes and regulations, into a space gradually conforming to the legal constraints in force; this new decision could save it from spending a lot of energy and money to do so in the countries concerned, especially if the local market is not profitable enough to justify these investments.

Bricklink is not a public service, and although many fans have long regarded this space as an informal hub allowing them to sell or buy bricks without worrying too much about legal constraints, that era is over for several years now.

It's a shame, however, that LEGO has decided to close its doors to all these countries with such short notice; many retailers will struggle to reorganize in just two weeks. All eyes are now, of course, on the other major player in the market, Brickowlwhich should take advantage of this decision to welcome new sellers and buyers.

Below is the list of 35 new countries that will no longer be able to use the platform from December 12, 2025: