Foreign direct investment (FDI) into Vietnam is poised to stay strong in 2026, with early inflows signaling the country’s enduring appeal as multinationals reshape global supply chains.

A view of the 1.3-billion-USD Lego factory in Ho Chi Minh City.

Early momentum signals strong start

In early February, authorities in northern Bac Ninh province bestowed approvals and registration certificates for a batch of projects surpassing 1.03 billion USD.

Just days earlier, Vice President of Regional Business and Head of the Chairman’s Office of China’s JA Solar Group Li Shaohui held a working session with local leaders and confirmed plans to revive the JA Solar PV Vietnam photovoltaic cell technology project.

At a conference with local firms, President and CEO of Samsung Vietnam Na Ki Hong underscored Bac Ninh’s strategic role in the group’s global manufacturing chain.

Other localities are seeing similar activity. Since early 2026, the northern province of Thai Nguyen has greenlit investment policies and certificates for 11 projects topping 1.059 billion USD, including a major FDI project worth 790 million USD. The province remains one of Samsung’s major investment hubs.

In early January, the northern province of Phu Tho amended registration certificates for two FDI projects, lifting their registered capital by 290 million USD.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s WHA Group is accelerating infrastructure work at its industrial park project in central Nghe An province

Toward a global hi-tech hub

More than just volume, the quality of FDI entering Vietnam has improved. The nation is evolving from a base for basic assembly and processing into a genuine contributor to hi-tech manufacturing and R&D across global value chains.

Vietnam has solidified its status as a production base for top-tier tech companies in recent years. Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang has repeatedly pointed to the influx of hi-tech investors as evidence of this trend.

“The successful attraction of strategic investors and large-scale FDI projects in electronics, semiconductors, digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI) underscores Vietnam’s increasingly important role in the global semiconductor supply chain and high-tech manufacturing”, Thang stressed.

According to statistics, total registered FDI in Vietnam reached 38.42 billion USD in 2025, up 0.5% year-on-year. Realised FDI was estimated at 27.62 billion USD, the highest during the 2021 - 2025 period, up around 9% annually, despite a global downturn in FDI flows.

Commenting on these results, leaders of the Ministry of Finance’s Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) Foreign Investment Agency credited the performance to Vietnam's enduring political stability, advantageous geographic location, substantial market size, and unwavering push for deeper global integration amid heightened economic fragmentation and uncertainties.

Race for quality FDI

According to the FIA, global FDI flows are shifting away from traditional industries toward hi-tech, eco-friendly sectors that uphold sustainable development.

Vietnam's opportunities appear increasingly clear-cut, with numerous overseas investors confirming its emergence as a key link in semiconductor and AI supply networks. At the same time, authorities are honing mechanisms and policies to channel capital into strategic technology domains.

Recently, the Government has initiated discussions on building up rare earth industry – a vital feedstock for semiconductors, as part of efforts to formulate a long-term national strategy.

The latest survey by JETRO showed that 56.9% of Japanese companies active in Vietnam plan to broaden their footprint over the next one to two years, up 0.8 percentage points from the previous year, the highest rate in ASEAN for the second consecutive year. In contrast, only 4.2% expect to scale back investment, while just 0.7% intend to exit or relocate.

Sustained efforts to improve business climate, selectively attract FDI linked to technology transfer, and develop new models such as international financial centre and free trade zones are set to help Vietnam capture more of these opportunities in 2026.

Vietnam emerges as typical case of Asia’s FDI success

Many Asian economies have tapped into foreign direct investment (FDI) to fuel economic growth, with Vietnam standing out as a notable success, while others still face challenges in turning capital inflows into lasting development.

FDI inflows fuel GRDP growth across localities

Localities such as Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Ninh Binh, Phu Tho and Bac Ninh posted growth rates of between 10.27% and 11.89%, far exceeding the national average.

 

FDI inflows into Vietnam exceed 38 billion USD in 2025

The figures were released at a press conference on January 5, announcing Vietnam’s socio-economic statistics for the fourth quarter and the whole of 2025. Notably, disbursed FDI reached an estimated 27.62 billion USD, a year-on-year increase of 9% and the highest level recorded over the past five years.

 

HCM City posts 24% rise in registered FDI in 2025

As of December 31, Ho Chi Minh City is expected to continue leading the nation in valid FDI capital and project numbers, with total registered capital standing at 141.9 billion USD across 20,310 projects.

 

Southern key economic region expects strong FDI influx

The recent mergers of provinces and cities have opened up new development space and provided a strong boost to FDI attraction across the southern key economic region.

 

Vietnam shifting FDI attraction focus from volume to quality

As production relocation to Southeast Asia accelerates and competition for FDI intensifies, Vietnam faces increasing pressure from regional rivals such as India, Malaysia and Indonesia, which are offering bold tax incentives and developing specialised industrial parks. This reality requires Vietnam to shift its focus from attracting large volumes of capital to drawing high-quality investment, prioritising core technologies, innovation, value chain linkages and higher localisation rates.