FDI realized in Vietnam in Q1 2026 reaches USD 5.41 billion, up 9% year-on-year

Foreign direct investment (FDI) realized in Vietnam in the first quarter of 2026 reached about USD 5.41 billion, up 9.1% year-on-year. The figure represents the highest level of FDI realized for a first quarter in the last five years.

Registered FDI rises sharply

As of March 31, 2026, total foreign-invested capital registered in Vietnam—including new registrations, registered capital adjustments, and the value of contributed capital and share purchases—reached USD 15.20 billion, up 42.9% year-on-year.

Newly licensed projects

Newly registered capital involved 904 licensed projects with registered capital of USD 10.23 billion. This was up 6.4% in the number of projects and about 2.4 times in registered capital compared with the same period last year.

The manufacturing and processing sector attracted the largest amount of new foreign direct investment, with registered capital of USD 7.07 billion, accounting for 69.0% of total new registered capital. Electricity, gas, water, and air conditioning production and distribution accounted for USD 2.28 billion (22.3%), while other sectors totaled USD 884.6 million (8.7%).

Top source countries for new investment

Among 52 countries and territories with newly licensed investment projects in the first three months of 2026, Singapore was the largest investor with USD 5.32 billion, representing 52.0% of total newly registered capital. Korea followed with USD 3.68 billion (35.9%). Other investors included China at USD 417.5 million (4.1%), Hong Kong SAR (China) at USD 256.8 million (2.5%), Japan at USD 191.3 million (1.9%), and the United States at USD 91.3 million (0.9%).

Capital adjustments for prior-year projects

Adjustments were made for 251 projects from previous years, registering additional investment of USD 2.30 billion, down 55.1% versus the same period last year.

Sectoral distribution of registered capital

Including both new registrations and adjustments of projects approved in previous years, foreign direct investment registered in the manufacturing and processing sector reached USD 8.85 billion, or 70.6% of total new registrations and increases. Electricity, gas, water, and air conditioning production and distribution reached USD 2.28 billion (18.2%), while other sectors accounted for USD 1.4 billion (11.2%).

Contributed capital and share purchases

Capital contributed or purchased by foreign investors totaled 703 instances, with aggregate contributed capital of USD 2.66 billion, 2.3 times higher than the same period last year.

Of these, 158 instances involved contributed capital or share purchases that increased the charter capital of enterprises by USD 298.7 million, while 545 instances involved foreign investors repurchasing shares in domestic enterprises without increasing charter capital, totaling USD 2.36 billion.

By form of capital contribution and share purchase, investments in wholesale and retail trade, and car and motorcycle repair accounted for USD 1.85 billion (69.6% of contributed capital). Manufacturing and processing accounted for USD 389.2 million (14.6%), and other sectors accounted for USD 421.1 million (15.8%).

Realized FDI by sector

Overall, foreign direct investment realized in Vietnam in the first three months of 2026 reached USD 5.41 billion, up 9.1% year-on-year. Manufacturing and processing accounted for USD 4.48 billion (82.8% of total realized FDI). Real estate business accounted for USD 389.5 million (7.2%), while electricity, gas, and air conditioning production and distribution accounted for USD 196.1 million (3.6%).

Vietnam’s outward FDI

Outward FDI (investment abroad) by Vietnam in the first three months of 2026 saw 48 new investment certificate issuances with Vietnam’s side capital totaling USD 597.2 million, up 2.6 times from the same period last year. Four inward-adjustment projects increased capital by USD 22.8 million, up 4.3 times.

In total, outward investment (new and adjusted) amounted to USD 619.9 million, up 2.6 times year-on-year. Electricity, gas, heated water, steam, and air conditioning production and distribution accounted for USD 163.8 million (26.4%), construction accounted for USD 150.9 million (24.3%), and transport, storage, and warehousing accounted for USD 149.2 million (24.1%).

Top destinations for outward investment

In the first quarter of 2026, 28 countries and territories received Vietnam’s outward investment. Laos led with USD 176.7 million (28.5%), followed by Kyrgyzstan with USD 149.9 million (24.2%), the United Kingdom with USD 82.8 million (13.4%), Angola with USD 30 million (4.8%), the Netherlands with USD 29.4 million (4.7%), and Sweden with USD 28.5 million (4.6%).