Vietnam's disbursed FDI in 4 months posts five-year record high

Registered foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnam hit $13.82 billion in the first four months of the year, up 39.9%, while disbursed capital reached $6.74 billion, up 7.3% and marking a record high in five years.

At the Foreign Investment Agency's calculations, registered capital comprises capital for newly-registered projects, additional capital for existing projects, and capital for stake acquisitions.

Of the country's total registered capital in the period, $5.59 billion (down 23.8% year-on-year) was pledged for 1,204 newly-registered projects (up 14.1%).

Up to 60.6% of the overall newly-registered capital, or $3.39 billion, came to the manufacturing and processing sector, followed by the real estate sector with 26.9% and $1.51 billion, respectively.

Singapore led with $1.6 billion in newly-registered capital (accounting for 28.6%), followed by mainland China with $1.52 billion (27.1%) and Japan with $573.2 million (10.3%).

Nearly $6.4 billion, a 3.9-fold increase compared to the same period last year, was additional capital for 540 existing projects.

Capital contributions/stake acquisitions reached $1.83 billion (a two-fold rise) with 1,106 deals.

Disbursed FDI capital in the four months was estimated at $6.74 billion, up 7.3% year-on-year. This is the highest figure for the first four months in the past five years.

The figure for the manufacturing and processing sector was $5.5 billion, or 81.6%; followed by the real estate sector with $533.1 million, or 7.9%; and production and distribution of electricity, gas, hot water, steam, and air conditioning with $266.2 million, or 3.9%.

Registered FDI in Vietnam hit $38.23 billion in 2024, down 3% year-on-year, while disbursed FDI capital reached $25.35 billion, an all-time high.

Overseas direct investment activities of Vietnam showed a significant improvement in the first four months of the year.

The country's total direct investment capital overseas, including newly registered and additional capital, in the period reached $309.3 million, 3.1 times higher than the same period last year.

The sectors with most investment from Vietnamese enterprises were electricity and gas production and distribution ($111.2 million), manufacturing and processing ($65.6 million), and transportation and warehousing ($50.5 million).

Laos continued to be the leading destination with $140.6 million, making up 45.5% of the total, followed by Indonesia and the Philippines.