At the present stage of the development of international trade, online platforms have a defining impact on its development, as new business models appear, on the basis of which it becomes possible to significantly reduce marginal costs and increase productivity. The relevance of the problems investigated in the article increases as the format of international trade changes, when in a recession, new tools are needed to raise the efficiency of export-import operations between countries. The theoretical and methodological framework of the considered aspects includes foreign and domestic studies in the field of digitalization and the digital transformation of the world economy.

An attempt of the conceptual justification and typology of online platforms and their significance in the international exchange system has been made in the paper. The main advantages of cross-border transaction platforms have been shown, it has been concluded that the attributes of online platforms may not be unique or specific, but it is their competent combination that often determines the intensive growth of platforms. According to authors, in the current conditions of the pandemic COVID-19, the role of online platforms in international trade is increasing, and this happens both at the national (through, for example, the growing use of delivery services) and at the international level (ensuring the operation of international payment systems, or individual components global value chains). Approaches to the global regulation of online platforms also have been considered. It has been established that the adaptation of trade policy rules developed internationally regarding the activities of online platforms plays a very important role, and one of the key aspects in this regard is the prohibition of tariffs on electronic commerce transactions. At least, this approach is followed by developed countries. However, developing countries often challenge it, pointing to the distortion of fair international competition rules as an argument.