Foreign investment inflows posted strong growth in the first half of 2026 despite mounting geopolitical uncertainty and the ongoing realignment of global supply chains. Backed by a clear policy direction, Vietnam continued to reinforce its position as a safe and attractive destination for international investors.

According to the National Statistics Office at the Ministry of Finance, as of June 30, total registered foreign investment, including newly-registered capital, additional capital for existing projects, and foreign investors’ capital contributions and share purchases, reached $34.65 billion, up 61 per cent year-on-year. The figures underscore continued confidence among multinational corporations in Vietnam’s macro-economic stability and long-term growth prospects.

Strengthening across the board

Growth in foreign investment was broad-based, with all three major capital channels posting solid gains. Newly-registered investment reached $17.39 billion across 2,013 licensed projects, up 8.2 per cent in value from a year earlier. The increase suggests that the average size of new projects has risen significantly, reflecting a shift away from smaller investments toward large-scale projects backed by substantial financial resources.

Additional investment in existing projects also remained robust. A total of 541 projects increased their registered capital by a combined $11.04 billion, up 23.5 per cent year-on-year. The continued expansion of established operations highlights foreign investors’ long-term commitment to Vietnam and confidence in the country’s investment environment.

Meanwhile, capital contributions and share purchases climbed 89.5 per cent to $6.22 billion. Professional, scientific, and technological activities attracted $2.64 billion, while wholesale and retail drew $1.94 billion, reflecting growing merger and acquisition (M&A) and strategic partnership activity across high-value service sectors.

The brightest spot in the investment picture was disbursed FDI, which is estimated at $13.03 billion, up 11.2 per cent against the same period last year and the highest first-half disbursement in five years. Strong disbursement reflects both the economy’s ability to absorb investment and the government’s continued efforts to remove administrative bottlenecks and accelerate project implementation.

Competing for investment

In June alone, newly-registered foreign investment totaled approximately $9.84 billion, including $2.55 billion in new projects, $5.26 billion in additional capital, and $2.05 billion in capital contributions and share purchases. It was the busiest month of the year for investment approvals and licensing, highlighting major shifts across key investment destinations.

In Ho Chi Minh City, total newly-registered and additional investment reached $4.87 billion during the first half of the year, making it the country’s second-largest FDI destination. The city attracted $1.47 billion in newly-registered capital and $3.4 billion in additional investment. Notably, nearly $2.98 billion of additional capital was registered in June alone, underscoring the expansion of existing projects.

The southern city also recorded significant progress in green investment, highlighted by the commissioning of a nearly 28 MWp rooftop solar power system at the Samsung Electronics HCMC CE Complex in Saigon Hi-Tech Park, supporting both sustainable development and the city’s energy transition agenda.

Several large-scale data center projects also received investment approval, including a 52 MW facility worth $508.7 million developed by Singaporean investors Hathor, Frontier, and Evolution, as well as a 60 MW hyperscale data center valued at $480.2 million developed by the Starmason JSC.

In northern Vietnam, Bac Ninh continued to strengthen its position as one of the country’s leading industrial hubs. During the first half of the year, the provincial industrial park authority approved 12 new projects worth $31.78 million and authorized an additional $539.22 million in capital for 25 existing projects, bringing total newly-registered and additional investment to nearly $2.58 billion.

Thai Nguyen remained the country’s top-performing locality, attracting more than $8.03 billion in newly-registered and additional investment, including $5.8 billion in new projects and $2.23 billion in additional capital. The province’s success reflects its long-term strategy of attracting large-scale high-tech, semiconductor, and electronics manufacturing projects. Hai Phong, meanwhile, secured $1.83 billion after accelerating approvals for supporting semiconductor and electronics projects, including those involving LG Innotek, and Phu Tho attracted an additional $554 million in expansion capital. 

Elsewhere, the central city of Da Nang benefited from the continued expansion of German cleaning equipment manufacturer Kärcher, following the successful operation of its first production phase.

Source: VnEconomy