HCMC takes top spot in $1 bln FDI club

Ho Chi Minh City rose two places from 2024 to become Vietnam’s top FDI magnet in 2025, drawing $7.09 billion in registered capital, up 5.8% from a year earlier.

The gain followed the July 2025 merger of HCMC with industrial hubs Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau to form the new HCMC.

Last year, the city secured 1,994 newly registered FDI projects worth $2.11 billion, alongside 401 projects that added $1.46 billion through capital adjustments.

It also recorded 2,562 capital-contribution and share-purchase transactions valued at $3.52 billion, according to the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Finance show.

By project count, the southern metropolis dominated nationwide, accounting for 49.1% of new registrations, 28.5% of capital-adjustment cases and 71.4% of capital contribution/ share purchase deals.

The most notable included Japanese-invested Saigon STEC Co.’s camera printed circuit board manufacturing project, which injected an additional $150 million to lift total registered capital to $450 million.

Others were Malaysian-invested Oryz Boutique Ltd Co.’s mobile restaurant and catering business via capital contribution/share purchase, with $200 million; and a $133 million capital increase by GSK Vietnam Pharmaceuticals – a subsidiary of British drugs giant GSK.

Bac Ninh ranks second

After merging with neighboring Bac Giang, the new Bac Ninh province reinforced its status as a hub for high-tech manufacturing. It attracted a total of $5.69 billion in FDI last year, down 10.3% from a year earlier, ranking second nationwide.

The province logged 384 new FDI projects worth $2.02 billion, 279 capital-adjustment cases totaling $3.44 billion, and 89 capital contribution/share purchase transactions valued at $232 million.

A standout project was Samsung Display Vietnam of South Korea, which registered an additional $1.2 billion investment in its OLED display manufacturing plant.

Hanoi jumps two ranks on big capital adjustments

Hanoi climbed to third place in 2025 from fifth a year earlier, with total registered FDI reaching $4.44 billion, up 105.3% from a year earlier.

The surge was driven by $3.48 billion from 148 projects that increased investment last year. Among them was Malaysian-invested Gamuda Land Vietnam Co.’s Yen So Park development, which raised capital by $1.12 billion.

Hanoi also licensed 445 new projects with combined capital of $383.4 million and recorded 385 capital contribution/share purchase transactions worth $569 million.

Industrial hub Dong Nai climbs three spots

After merging with neighboring Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai continued to cement its status as an FDI magnet in Vietnam’s Southern Key Economic Region, posting $4.23 billion in registered capital, up 65% from a year earlier. The gains lifted the province three places to fourth nationwide.

During the year, the province licensed 198 new projects worth $1.78 billion, saw 79 projects raise capital by a combined $1.1 billion, and recorded 96 capital contribution/share purchase transactions totaling $1.34 billion.

In November 2025, provincial authorities awarded an investment licence for the Aeon Mall Bien Hoa project to Japan’s Aeon Mall Vietnam, with total investment of $261 million.

Tay Ninh joins $1 bln FDI club

After merging with neighboring Long An, Tay Ninh leapt 14 places from 2024 to rank fifth, drawing $2.92 billion in registered FDI, nearly double the previous year.

The province drew $979 million from 209 new projects, $1.55 billion from 156 capital-adjustment cases, and $389.5 million from 101 capital contribution/share purchase transactions in 2025.

Beyond the five localities above, six others attracted more than $1 billion in FDI in 2025, including Hai Phong, Hung Yen, Ninh Binh, Gia Lai, and Phu Tho, each formed through mergers with neighboring provinces, and Nghe An.

Nationwide, registered FDI capital totaled $38.42 billion in 2025, up 0.5% from a year earlier.

Newly licensed projects accounted for 4,054 approvals with $17.32 billion, up 20.1% in project count but down 12.2% in value from the previous year. In addition, 1,404 existing projects registered capital increases totaling $14.07 billion, a 0.8% rise year on year.

Foreign investors also completed 3,587 capital contribution/share purchase deals worth $7.03 billion, surging 54.8% from a year earlier.