FDI disbursement in Jan - Feb reaches five-year high
Foreign direct investment (FDI) disbursed in Vietnam during the first two months of 2026 is estimated at 3.21 billion USD, up 8.8% year-on-year and the highest level recorded for the period in the past five years, according to the National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Finance.
The NSO noted that the Republic of Korea (RoK) and Singapore were the largest investors during the period, each registering over 1 billion USD in newly committed capital, accounting for a significant share of total foreign investment inflows into Vietnam.
Manufacturing and processing continued to dominate FDI disbursement, attracting 2.65 billion USD, or 82.7% of the total. Real estate followed with 223.5 million USD (7%), while electricity, gas, hot water, steam and air-conditioning supply drew 119.2 million USD (3.7%).
Meanwhile, total registered FDI reached 6.03 billion USD, down 12.6% year-on-year. Newly licensed investment included 620 projects with combined registered capital of 3.54 billion USD, representing a 20.2% increase in project numbers and a 61.5% rise in registered capital compared with the same period last year.
Manufacturing and processing also led newly registered sectors, securing 2.63 billion USD, or 74.3% of total new capital. Wholesale and retail, including motor vehicle repair, came next with 358.6 million USD (10.1%), while other sectors accounted for the remaining 15.6%.
Among 44 countries and territories with newly approved projects in Vietnam, the RoK ranked first with 1.34 billion USD, making up 37.8% of total newly registered capital. It was followed by Singapore with 1.1 billion USD (31.1%), China with 522.8 million USD (14.8%), and Japan with 171 million USD (4.8%).
Additional investment was recorded in 180 existing projects, which registered 1.99 billion USD in extra capital, down 52.3% year-on-year.
Combined newly registered and adjusted capital showed manufacturing and processing remaining the leading sector with 4.16 billion USD, accounting for 75.2% of the total. Wholesale and retail followed with 392.7 million USD (7.1%), while other sectors made up 17.7%.
Foreign investors also carried out 492 capital contribution and share purchase transactions worth 499.5 million USD, down 5.7% year-on-year.
Among localities, Thai Nguyen province emerged as the top destination, attracting nearly 1.7 billion USD, a 1,354% surge compared with the same period last year. It was followed by Ho Chi Minh City with about 900.2 million USD, Bac Ninh with 818.5 million USD, and Hanoi with 624.5 million USD.
The top 10 localities together drew 5.65 billion USD, accounting for around 94% of the country’s total registered FDI during the period.
Thai Nguyen’s strong performance reflects its role as a major industrial hub in northern Vietnam, hosting large global manufacturers such as Samsung, Trina Solar, Dongwha, Doosan, Daejin, MGL, and HongKong Lai Holding in key industrial parks.
Local data show that newly registered and additional FDI in the province reached around 3.27 billion USD in the first two months, equivalent to 19% of Vietnam’s total registered foreign investment during the reporting period. The province currently has 234 valid FDI projects with total registered capital of about 11.45 billion USD.
Authorities noted that foreign investment inflows are increasingly shifting toward high-tech industries, manufacturing, electronics and supporting industries, sectors that generate higher added value and contribute to upgrading Vietnam’s industrial production chain./.
