Vietnam FDI Statistics 2026: Registered vs Disbursed Investment
Vietnam FDI statistics for January–September 2026 show USD 50.36 billion in registered foreign investment and an estimated USD 21.07 billion in disbursed FDI. Registered investment measures new commitments, increases to existing projects, and foreign capital contributions or share purchases. Disbursed FDI measures investment implemented during the period. The two figures answer different questions and should not be treated as money committed and then fully paid out by the same group of projects.
Vietnam FDI Statistics at a Glance
Indicator | Value | Reporting period | Change from the same period in 2025 | Source | Last reviewed |
Registered foreign investment | USD 50.36 billion | January–September 2026 | +76.4% | National Statistics Office, Q3 and nine-month 2026 report | 7 October 2026 |
Disbursed FDI, estimated | USD 21.07 billion | January–September 2026 | +12.1% | National Statistics Office, Q3 and nine-month 2026 report | 7 October 2026 |
The USD 50.36 billion registered total comprises USD 29.24 billion in newly registered projects, USD 14.15 billion in additional capital registered by existing projects, and USD 6.97 billion in foreign capital contributions and share purchases.
What Is the Difference Between Registered and Disbursed FDI?
Measure | What it tells you | What it does not tell you |
Registered foreign investment | The value recorded through new projects, project adjustments, and foreign capital contributions or share purchases | How much of those same projects’ capital has already been implemented |
Disbursed FDI | Estimated investment implemented during the reporting period | How much of those same projects’ capital has already been implemented |
For example, an investor may register a factory project in 2026 and build it in stages. Its registered capital can appear in the 2026 total while spending continues later. Meanwhile, part of 2026 disbursement may come from projects registered before 2026. USD 21.07 billion divided by USD 50.36 billion is therefore not a project completion rate.
How Has Vietnam’s FDI Changed Over Time?
The comparison below uses the same January–September period and the same National Statistics Office definitions in both years.
Figure 1. Vietnam registered foreign investment rose from USD 28.54 billion to USD 50.36 billion between the two nine-month periods; estimated disbursed FDI rose from USD 18.80 billion to USD 21.07 billion. Source: National Statistics Office, nine-month reports for 2025 and 2026.
Registered capital rose much faster than disbursement. The figures show stronger recorded investment activity and growth in implementation; they do not establish when capital from newly registered projects will be spent. If the article later includes the World Bank’s FDI net inflows series, present it as a separate balance-of-payments measure with its own chart and definition.
Which Sectors, Investors and Locations Receive FDI?
Period note: The detailed country, sector, and location figures below cover January–August 2026. They come from the Foreign Investment Agency report published on 11 September 2026. The national totals at the top of this article cover January–September 2026.
Vietnam FDI by Country: Which Investors Lead?
Ranked by registered foreign investment during January–August 2026, including new investment, adjustments, and capital contributions or share purchases.
Investing country or territory | Registered capital, USD million | Share of January–August total | Reporting period | Source |
Singapore | 10,995.8 | 27.1% | January–August 2026 | Foreign Investment Agency |
South Korea | 8,303.3 | 20.4% | January–August 2026 | Foreign Investment Agency |
Hong Kong | 5,245.2 | 12.9% | January–August 2026 | Foreign Investment Agency |
China | 4,079.2 | 10.0% | January–August 2026 | Foreign Investment Agency |
Malaysia | 3,039.5 | 7.5% | January–August 2026 | Foreign Investment Agency |
Shares are calculated from the agency’s reported January–August total of USD 40,625.5 million and rounded to one decimal place. Data reviewed: 7 October 2026.
Which country leads depends on the measure. Singapore led registrations during January–August 2026. For the cumulative registered capital of projects still in force at the end of August, the agency placed South Korea first and Singapore second. Keep those rankings separate.
Which Sectors Attract the Most FDI?
Sector | Registered capital | Share | Reporting period and source |
Manufacturing and processing | More than USD 21 billion | 51.8% | January–August 2026; Foreign Investment Agency |
Real estate business | More than USD 5.7 billion | 14.1% | January–August 2026; Foreign Investment Agency |
These figures rank registered capital in the eight-month period. They do not describe disbursement by sector or the cumulative investment stock.
Which Locations Attract Foreign Investment?
Location | Registered capital, USD million | Reporting period | Source |
Ho Chi Minh City | 10,469.3 | January–August 2026 | Foreign Investment Agency |
Thai Nguyen | 8,066.2 | January–August 2026 | Foreign Investment Agency |
Hanoi | 3,751.7 | January–August 2026 | Foreign Investment Agency |
Registered capital is one signal when assessing a location. Investors should also test whether a province suits their activity, site, suppliers, workforce, and operating costs. VINEX’s best provinces to start a business in Vietnam guide covers additional location criteria.
What Do the Latest Figures Mean for a Foreign Investor?
The data shows where investment was registered and how much FDI was implemented nationally. It cannot, by itself, establish that a sector is open to every foreign investor or that a leading province is the best place for a particular project.
VINEX’s view: Use the rankings to shortlist questions rather than to choose a project automatically. Check the proposed business activity against foreign investment conditions, assess the actual site and workforce, and build a realistic implementation schedule. A high registered FDI figure does not replace those project-level checks.
For investment routes and structures, see VINEX’s FDI guide for Singapore investors. When planning how investment funds will move, review the applicable banking route in VINEX’s investment capital account guide.
Where Can You Verify Vietnam FDI Data?
Use the National Statistics Office for the national January–September figures and the matching 2025 comparison. Use the Foreign Investment Agency’s January–August 2026 report for the country, sector, and location breakdowns above.
Before reusing a number, record its indicator, period, source, publication date, and whether it measures activity during a period or the cumulative stock of active projects. Review this article after each quarterly National Statistics Office report and replace the detailed tables when the Foreign Investment Agency publishes a newer comparable breakdown.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is registered FDI the same as disbursed FDI?
No. Registered investment records specified commitments and transactions; disbursed FDI estimates implementation during the period. The two totals do not represent successive stages of an identical set of projects.
Was Singapore the largest investor?
Singapore led January–August 2026 registered investment during the period. South Korea led the cumulative registered capital of active projects at the end of August. State the measure whenever quoting either ranking.
Why are the country figures only for eight months?
The detailed Foreign Investment Agency breakdown used here covers January–August 2026, while the newer national totals from the National Statistics Office cover January–September. Each section retains its source period rather than presenting them as one dataset.
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