Vietnam's Outward Investment Surges to $2.36 Billion in Seven Months of 2026

Vietnam's outward investment reached a total of $2.36 billion in the first seven months of 2026, marking a significant year-on-year increase. Agriculture, forestry, and fishery led the surge with $294 million, followed by electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning supply ($275.3 million), and construction ($179.5 million). This outbound investment growth occurs alongside robust foreign direct investment (FDI) into Vietnam. As of July 31, the country had attracted $38.06 billion in registered FDI in the first seven months of the year, up 58% year-on-year. This indicates a strong economic momentum and Vietnam's ongoing strategy to achieve its aspiration of becoming a high-income developed nation by 2045, underscored by the Party Central Committee's Resolution No. 19-NQ/TW on renovating Vietnam's development model, signed on July 28, 2026. Digital transformation is also a key focus, with Prime Minister’s Official Dispatch No. 50/CD-TTg, dated July 20, 2026, urging faster progress in constructing integrated schools and the upcoming Resolution No. 66.22/2026/NQ-CP, effective August 15, 2026, which sets principles for developing digital citizens and designates October 15 as Vietnam's Digital Citizen Day. Internationally, Vietnam continues to strengthen its diplomatic ties, with bilateral cooperation with Thailand expanding since the establishment of diplomatic relations on August 6, 1976. The President of the Cambodian National Assembly also paid an official visit to Vietnam from July 27-29. Furthermore, Hanoi was recognized as the only Southeast Asian destination among the 'World's Top Ten Cities with the Friendliest Customer Service' by MoneySuperMarket. Looking ahead, Vietnam aims to attract $200-300 billion in registered FDI during the 2026-2030 period, with 75% expected from developed economies. This aligns with Resolution No. 10-NQ/TW, issued by the Politburo on June 8, 2026, which targets placing Vietnam among ASEAN's leading countries in terms of investment climate and competitiveness by 2030. Information source: VietnamPlus English