VIETNAM'S REALISED FDI REACHES FIVE-YEAR HIGH IN FIRST HALF

Foreign direct investment disbursed in Vietnam was estimated at $13.03 billion in the first six months of 2026, up 11.2 per cent on-year. This marks the highest level of realised FDI for the first half of a year over the past five years.

According to the National Statistics Office (NSO), total registered FDI in Vietnam as of the end of June, including newly registered capital, additional capital for existing projects, and foreign investors' capital contributions and share purchases, reached $34.65 billion, an increase of 61 per cent on-year.

Regarding newly registered investments, 2,013 projects were licensed with a total registered capital of $17.39 billion, up 1.3 per cent in the number of projects and 87.2 per cent in registered capital on-year.

The manufacturing and processing industry attracted the largest share of newly registered FDI, with $10.76 billion, accounting for 61.9 per cent of total newly registered capital. The electricity, gas, water supply and air conditioning sector received $3.08 billion, representing 17.7 per cent, while all other sectors accounted for $3.55 billion, or 20.4 per cent.

Among the 63 countries and territories with newly licensed investment projects in Vietnam during the first half of 2026, Singapore remained the largest investor, with $7.31 billion, accounting for 42.1 per cent of total newly registered capital. It was followed by South Korea with $5.45 billion (31.4 per cent), Japan with $1.2 billion (6.9 per cent), and China with $977 million (5.6 per cent).

Additional registered capital for existing projects also increased. During the six months, 541 previously licensed projects registered additional investment totalling $11.04 billion, up 23.5 per cent on-year.

Combining newly registered capital and additional capital for existing projects, the manufacturing and processing industry attracted $17.91 billion, accounting for 63 per cent of the total. The real estate sector received $5.1 billion (17.9 per cent), while the remaining sectors accounted for $5.42 billion (19.1 per cent).

Foreign investors also made 1,446 capital contribution and share purchase transactions, with a combined value of $6.22 billion, an increase of 89.5 per cent from a year earlier. Of these, 413 transactions worth $2.15 billion increased the charter capital of Vietnamese enterprises, while 1,033 transactions worth $4.07 billion involved the acquisition of existing domestic shares without increasing charter capital.

By sector, foreign capital contributions and share purchases were concentrated in professional, scientific and technological activities, which attracted $2.64 billion, accounting for 42.4 per cent of the total transaction value. Wholesale and retail trade, and the repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, received $1.94 billion (31.1 per cent), while the remaining sectors attracted $1.65 billion (26.5 per cent).

Meanwhile, realised FDI in Vietnam during the first half of 2026 was estimated at $13.03 billion, up 11.2 per cent on-year and representing the highest first-half disbursement level in the past five years.

Of the total realised FDI, the manufacturing and processing industry accounted for $10.76 billion, or 82.6 per cent. The real estate sector attracted $965.2 million (7.4 per cent), while the electricity, gas, hot water, steam and air conditioning supply sector received $479.2 million, accounting for 3.7 per cent of the total.

Source: VIR