Vietnam attracted an estimated $11.72 billion in realized foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first half of 2025, marking an 8.1% year-on-year increase and the highest six-month figure since 2021, according to the General Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance.

On July 5, the General Statistics Office held a press conference on Vietnam’s socioeconomic performance in Q2 2025. The FDI figure of $11.72 billion represents the highest realized amount for the January–June period in the past five years.

Manufacturing and processing remained the top destination, receiving $9.56 billion and accounting for 81.6% of total realized FDI. Real estate activities followed with $932.2 million (8%), while electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply attracted $444.7 million (3.8%).

The office highlighted that robust FDI inflows - particularly into high-tech manufacturing, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence (AI) - are generating new production capacity, employment, and managerial expertise for the economy.

As for registered capital, total newly registered, adjusted, and contributed FDI capital reached $21.52 billion by June 30, up 32.6% year-on-year.

There were 1,988 newly licensed projects totaling $9.29 billion in pledged capital - a 21.7% increase in project count but a 9.6% decrease in value. Of these, manufacturing and processing drew the largest share at $5.06 billion (54.4%), followed by real estate with $2.25 billion (24.2%), and other sectors at $1.99 billion (21.4%).

Among 72 countries and territories with newly licensed FDI projects in Vietnam during H1 2025, Singapore led with $2.41 billion (25.9%), followed by China with $2.13 billion (22.9%), Sweden with $1 billion (10.8%), Japan with $832.3 million (9%), Taiwan with $725.8 million (7.8%), Hong Kong with $691.9 million (7.4%), and the British Virgin Islands with $317 million (3.4%).

Speaking with Nhan Dan newspaper, Nguyen Hai Minh, Vice Chairman of EuroCham Vietnam, said European investors continue to value Vietnam’s efforts to improve its legal framework and investment environment. As a result, many European companies intend to expand their operations in Vietnam.

PV