Vietnam Sees Significant FDI Inflow Surge Jan-July, Driven by Manufacturing and Energy

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnam surpassed US$38 billion in the January-July period, demonstrating robust growth. This figure comprises newly registered capital, additional investment in existing projects, and capital contributions through share purchases. During the period, Vietnam licensed 2,429 new projects with a total registered capital of US$21.05 billion, a 2.1-fold increase from the same period last year. Processing and manufacturing continued to dominate new investment, drawing US$11.58 billion, accounting for 55 percent of total newly registered capital. Electricity, gas, and water production and distribution ranked second with US$3.13 billion, or 14.9 percent. Singapore remained the largest source of newly registered capital with US$7.5 billion, representing 35.6 percent of the total. It was followed by South Korea with US$5.61 billion, Hong Kong with US$2.91 billion, and China with US$1.73 billion. Additional capital for existing projects also maintained positive momentum, with 666 projects increasing their investment capital by a combined US$10.43 billion, up 4.4 percent year-on-year. Meanwhile, capital contributions and share purchases reached US$6.58 billion, soaring by 61.6 percent from the same period last year. The strong performance reflects a steady acceleration in FDI inflows since the beginning of the year, indicating growing investor confidence in Vietnam's business environment, particularly in high-tech manufacturing, processing industries, and energy projects. Meanwhile, Vietnam's overseas investment also expanded sharply during the first seven months of 2026. Total outbound investment, including newly registered and adjusted capital, reached US$2.36 billion, 4.5 times higher than the same period last year. Domestic authorities granted investment licenses to 106 new overseas projects worth US$1.17 billion, up 2.9 times year-on-year, while existing projects received an additional US$1.19 billion, a 9.2-fold increase. Laos remained the leading destination for Vietnamese investment, attracting US$638.3 million, or 27 percent of the total. It was followed by Cambodia with US$449.9 million and Indonesia with US$308.6 million. FDI disbursement increased by 11.8 percent to US$15.2 billion during the January–July period./.