Total registered foreign investment in Vietnam reached US$6.03 billion in the first two months of 2026, down 12.6 percent from a year earlier, according to the latest data from the National Statistics Office. The figure includes newly registered capital, adjusted capital for existing projects, and foreign investors’ capital contributions and share purchases.
Newly registered foreign direct investment rose sharply despite the overall decline. Authorities licensed 620 new projects with total registered capital of US$3.54 billion, up 20.2 percent in project numbers and 61.5 percent in capital compared with the same period last year.
The processing and manufacturing sector attracted the largest share of newly registered capital, receiving US$2.63 billion or 74.3 percent of the total. Wholesale and retail trade, including repair of automobiles and motorcycles, accounted for US$358.6 million or 10.1 percent, while other sectors received US$550.5 million.
South Korea was the largest source of newly registered investment during the period with US$1.34 billion, accounting for 37.8 percent of the total. Singapore followed with US$1.1 billion or 31.1 percent, ahead of China with US$522.8 million and Japan with US$171 million.
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region contributed US$143 million, while the United States registered US$85.6 million and Samoa US$68.7 million. In total, investors from 44 countries and territories launched new projects in Vietnam during the period.
Adjusted capital for existing projects declined significantly. Some 180 previously licensed projects increased their investment capital by a combined US$1.99 billion, down 52.3 percent compared with the same period last year.
Including both new and adjusted capital, the processing and manufacturing sector received US$4.16 billion, representing 75.2 percent of total newly registered and additional investment capital. Wholesale and retail trade accounted for US$392.7 million, while other sectors received US$979.7 million.
Foreign investors also conducted 492 capital contributions and share purchase transactions valued at US$499.5 million, down 5.7 percent year-on-year. Of these, 128 transactions increased enterprises’ charter capital with a value of US$297.8 million, while 364 involved share acquisitions without raising charter capital worth US$201.7 million.
In terms of sectors, capital contributions and share purchases in the processing and manufacturing industry totalled US$244.7 million, accounting for 49.0 percent of the total. Wholesale and retail trade accounted for US$103.7 million, while other sectors received US$151.1 million.
Realised foreign direct investment in Vietnam during the first two months of the year reached an estimated US$3.21 billion, up 8.8 percent compared with the same period last year. This represents the highest level of implemented FDI for the first two months of the year in the past five years.
The processing and manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of realised investment at US$2.65 billion, or 82.7 percent of the total. Real estate activities received US$223.5 million, while electricity, gas, hot water, steam and air conditioning production and distribution attracted US$119.2 million.