Vietnam attracts $18.24 bn FDI in January-April 2026, trade up

Total registered FDI, including newly registered and adjusted capital, along with foreign investors’ contributions and share purchases, reached $18.24 billion as of April 27, up 32 per cent year on year (YoY), according to the Ministry of Finance’s National Statistics Office (NSO).

Vietnam attracted $18.24 billion in FDI in January–April 2026, up 32 per cent, driven by manufacturing and processing.
Realised FDI hit a five-year high, signalling continued capacity expansion.
Trade surged to $344.17 billion, supported by strong US demand and rising imports from Asia, highlighting deeper global supply chain integration and export momentum.

A total of 1,249 new projects were licensed with combined registered capital of $12.15 billion, reflecting a 3.7 per cent annual increase in project numbers and a 2.2-fold rise in value. Manufacturing and processing dominated, attracting $8.12 billion, or 66.8 per cent of total newly registered capital.

Realised FDI in the January–April period was estimated at $7.40 billion, up 9.8 per cent YoY and marking the highest level for the period in the past five years. Of this, the manufacturing and processing sector disbursed $6.12 billion, accounting for 82.7 per cent. Meanwhile, 316 existing projects registered additional capital of $3.13 billion, representing a sharp 51 per cent decline compared to the same period last year. Combining newly registered and adjusted capital, total FDI into manufacturing and processing reached $10.49 billion, or 68.6 per cent of the total.

Foreign investors carried out 976 capital contribution and share purchase transactions worth $2.96 billion, up 61.9 per cent YoY. Among these, 325 deals increased enterprises’ charter capital by $445.13 million, while 651 share acquisitions without capital increases totalled $2.51 billion. Wholesale and retail trade led these investments, capturing $1.89 billion, or 63.9 per cent.

Among 53 countries and territories with newly licensed projects, Singapore was the largest investor with $6.05 billion, accounting for 49.8 per cent of the total. It was followed by the Republic of Korea with $4.08 billion (33.6 per cent), China with $524.1 million (4.3 per cent), Japan with $462 million (3.8 per cent), Hong Kong (China) with $329.2 million (2.7 per cent), and the Netherlands with $318.5 million (2.6 per cent).

On the trade front, Vietnam’s total trade with the rest of the world was estimated at $344.17 billion in the first four months of 2026, a significant increase from $277.21 billion in the same period last year, the NSO said. In April alone, trade volume reached an estimated $94.32 billion, rising 8 per cent from March and 26.7 per cent YoY.

The United States remained the largest importer of Vietnamese goods, with imports valued at $53.9 billion, while China continued as the top supplier with $69 billion. Imports from traditional markets also surged, with South Korea and ASEAN recording growth rates of 57.8 per cent and 44.3 per cent, respectively.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (MS)