Data insights
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Economic, investment and financial data provide vital measurements of economies' health, overall development and capacity for growth. This collection of thematic insights explores critical dimensions of national accounts, economic potential and price signals.
Foreign direct investment inflows, billions of dollars, 2024
In 2024, the United States of America remained the largest destination economy for foreign direct investment (FDI). It was followed by Singapore, Hong Kong (China), China and Luxembourg.
World foreign direct investment inflows, billions of dollars
UN Trade and Development, UNCTADstat.
Excluding financial centers in the Caribbean. The data excludes financial transactions through several European economies with high levels of conduit flows.
In 2024, global foreign direct investment (FDI) flows were reported 4% higher. However, this figure was inflated by volatile flows through conduit economies. Excluding these, global flows fell by 11%, a second year of decline.
There was wide differences in performance across economies. Developed countries experienced a 22% contraction, while flows to developing economies were stable at $867 billion. Developing Asia saw only a slight decline of 3%. Developing Americas experienced a 12% decline. Developing Africa recorded a 75% growth, a record for FDI inflows to the region. FDI inflows to the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) increased by 9%, reflecting a modest recovery from previous years.
Foreign direct investment inflows and outflows, billions of dollars, 2024
UN Trade and Development, UNCTADstat.
Excluding financial centers in the Caribbean. The data excludes financial transactions through several European economies with high levels of conduit flows
In 2024, foreign direct investment (FDI) outflows from developing economies declined by 5%, totaling $491 billion. The drop was particularly pronounced in developing Americas, where outflows fell by 33%. In developing Asia, FDI outflows decreased slightly, by 3%. FDI outflows from developed economies increased by 8%. However when European conduit economies are excluded, FDI outflows from developed economies declined by 24%.
The top 5 economies for FDI outflows in 2024 were the United States of America, Japan, China, Luxembourg and Hong Kong (China).
Selected foreign direct investment flows, percentage of world total
In 2024, foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows to Africa accounted for 6 % of global FDI inflows, up from 4% the previous year, and 11% of total FDI to developing economies, compared with 6% in 2023. Developing Asia remained the recipient of the largest amount of FDI globally, attracting 70% of total FDI to developing economies and 40% of global inflows. Developing Americas accounted for 19% of total FDI to developing economies and 11% of global inflows. Least Developed Countries continued to attract only a small share of global FDI, approximately 2%.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) is defined as an investment reflecting a lasting interest and control by a foreign direct investor (parent enterprise), resident in one economy (home economy), in a foreign affiliate resident in another economy (recipient or host economy).
FDI flows comprise capital provided by a foreign direct investor to a foreign affiliate, or capital received by a foreign direct investor from a foreign affiliate. FDI has three components: equity capital, reinvested earnings and intracompany loans.
FDI stock is the value of the share of their capital and reserves attributable to the parent enterprise, plus the net indebtedness of foreign affiliates to the parent enterprise.
FDI are on a net basis (capital transactions' credits less debits between direct investors and their foreign affiliates). Thus FDI might be recorded as negative.
Full metadata are available in our Data Centre for Foreign direct investment.
