FDI attraction highlights January economic picture

Foreign investors poured capital into 39 Vietnamese provinces and cities in January 2025

FDI attraction up nearly 50 percent

According to data recently released by the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, in January 2025, Vietnam attracted more than US$4.33 billion of FDI through new projects, capital increases of ongoing projects, and stock purchases by foreign investors, up 48.6 percent compared to January 2024.

According to the Foreign Investment Agency, this was the highest increase in January FDI attraction since 2021, particularly given the fact that seven days in January 2025 were public holidays for the Lunar New Year.

Specifically, in January 2025, Vietnam attracted 282 new FDI projects with the total registered capital of nearly US$1.29 billion, a decrease of 43.6 percent compared to January 2024. Meanwhile, 137 projects increased their investment capital by a total of nearly US$2.73 billion, up 6.1 times year-on-year. Capital contributions and stock purchases by foreign investors through 260 transactions totaled nearly US$322.9 million, a year-on-year increase of 70.4 percent.

Foreign investors invested in 16 out of 21 sectors of the Vietnamese economy. The processing and manufacturing sector topped the list with more than US$3.09 billion, accounting for nearly 71.3 percent of the total registered capital, up 99.1 percent compared to January 2024. The real estate sector ranked second with nearly US$1.09 billion, accounting for 23.5 percent of the total, down 6.4 percent, followed by the technical, scientific and technological sectors and the water supply and waste treatment sector, with the respective registered capital of US$98.8 million and US$73.8 million. Other sectors attracted smaller amounts of FDI capital.

FDI disbursement reached US$1.51 billion in January 2025, a two-percent year-on-year increase

FDI from 55 countries and territories

In January 2025, Vietnam attracted FDI from 55 countries and territories, with major investors from Asian countries that are Vietnam’s traditional investment partners.

The top five countries and territories, namely the Republic of Korea (RoK), Singapore, Japan, China, and Hong Kong (China), accounted for 73.4 percent of new projects and 86.5 percent of total registered capital. The RoK topped the list with over US$1.25 billion, accounting for more than 28.9 percent of the total investment, a 13.4-fold increase compared to January 2024. Singapore followed with over US$1.24 billion, representing 28.7 percent of the total investment, up 1.1 percent. Next were Japan, China, and Hong Kong (China).

Foreign investors poured capital into 39 provinces and cities across the country in January 2025. Provinces and cities with strong advantages in attracting foreign investment, such as good infrastructure, a stable workforce, efforts to streamline administrative procedures, and proactive investment promotion, attracted the majority of investment capital. These localities included Bac Ninh, Dong Nai, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, and Binh Duong.

The top 10 localities accounted for 81.2 percent of new projects and 90.8 percent of investment capital in January 2025. Bac Ninh led the way with over US$1.39 billion, representing 32.2 percent of the total registered capital, a nearly 6.1-fold increase compared to January 2024. Dong Nai ranked second with nearly US$959 million, accounting for 22.1 percent of the total, a more than 3.4-fold increase. Hanoi came third, with US$716.4 million, accounting for 16.8 percent of the total, up 1.9 percent.