This article explores the impact of digital technological advances on international trade exchanges, notably regarding trade costs and barriers. The article first constructs a trade development measurement model for global trade costs and barriers, and analyzes in detail the development quality of international trade using a threshold effect model. In addition, a model for the development potential of international trade is constructed, and the evolution of its spatial pattern is investigated through global and local Moran indices. The empirical Analysis shows that the regression coefficients of economic level, trade potential and trade barriers are 0.228, 0.661 and −0.110, respectively. Analyzing from a macro perspective, the development quality of China’s international trade shows an upward trend between 2012 and 2022, with an overall improvement of about 38 percentage points. This result indicates that improving economic level and trade potential helps to promote the improvement of the development quality of international trade. In contrast, trade barriers may have an inhibiting effect on the development of international trade. By scientifically calculating the quality of international trade development and data visualization of its development process, the article provides effective ways and methods for the Analysis and research of international trade development.