VIETNAM’S REGISTERED FDI SURPASSES $50 BILLION IN NINE MONTHS

Foreign investment inflows into Vietnam have surged to record levels, with total registered capital surpassing $50 billion in the first nine months of 2026, as investors continue to show strong confidence in the country's economic prospects.

Source: National Statistics Office

According to the National Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance, total registered foreign direct investment (FDI) reached $50.36 billion as of September 30, up 76.4 per cent on-year. Of the total, newly registered capital came from 3,108 newly licensed projects with combined registered capital of $29.24 billion, up 6.2 per cent in project numbers and 2.4 times the registered capital compared with the same period last year.

Disbursed foreign investment also reached its highest nine-month level in five years, estimated at $21.07 billion, up 12.1 per cent on-year. The processing and manufacturing sector continued to dominate, attracting $21.82 billion in combined new and adjusted capital, or 50.3 per cent of the total

The manufacturing and processing industry continued to attract the largest share of newly registered FDI, with $13.38 billion, accounting for 45.8 per cent of total newly registered capital. Transportation and storage ranked second with $5.14 billion, or 17.6 per cent, while other sectors accounted for $10.71 billion, or 36.6 per cent.

Among the 79 countries and territories with newly licensed investment projects in Vietnam during the first nine months of 2026, Singapore was the largest source of FDI, with $9.26 billion, accounting for 31.7 per cent of total newly registered capital.

South Korea ranked second with $5.70 billion, or 19.5 per cent, followed by Luxembourg with $4.99 billion, or 17.1 per cent; Hong Kong with $3.01 billion, or 10.3 per cent; China with $2.27 billion, or 7.8 per cent; Japan with $1.56 billion, or 5.3 per cent; and the Netherlands with $438.5 million, or 1.5 per cent.

Regarding adjusted registered capital, 948 previously licensed projects registered additional investment capital totaling $14.15 billion, up 25.1 per cent on-year.

Including both newly registered and additional capital from previously licensed projects, registered FDI in the manufacturing and processing industry reached $21.82 billion, accounting for 50.3 per cent of total newly registered and additional capital.

Real estate business attracted $6.94 billion, or 16 per cent, while other sectors accounted for $14.63 billion, or 33.7 per cent.

Regarding foreign investment through capital contributions and share purchases, foreign investors made 2,335 transactions worth a combined $6.97 billion, up 44 per cent year-on-year.

Of these, 725 transactions involved capital contributions or share purchases that increased the charter capital of Vietnamese companies, with a total value of $2.64 billion. The remaining 1,610 transactions involved foreign investors acquiring existing domestic shares without increasing companies’ charter capital, with a total value of $4.33 billion.

By sector, foreign investment through capital contributions and share purchases in professional, scientific and technical activities reached $2.75 billion, accounting for 39.5 per cent of the total. Wholesale and retail trade, and repair of automobiles, motorcycles and motorbikes attracted $2.02 billion, or 28.9 per cent, while other sectors accounted for $2.2 billion, or 31.6 per cent.

Disbursed FDI in the first nine months of 2026 was estimated at $21.07 billion, up 12.1 per cent year-on-year. This was the highest level of foreign investment disbursement recorded in the first nine months of any year over the past five years.

The manufacturing and processing industry accounted for the largest share of disbursed FDI, at $17.40 billion, or 82.6 per cent of the total. Real estate business accounted for $1.59 billion, or 7.5 per cent, while electricity, gas, hot water, steam and air-conditioning production and distribution reached $723.4 million, or 3.4 per cent.

Source: VIR