According to UNCTAD’s World Investment Report 2026, global foreign direct investment increased by 6 percent in 2025 to 1.6 trillion dollars, while disparities in investment flows across countries and regions persisted.
According to a report compiled by Anadolu Agency (AA) from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) World Investment Report 2026, global foreign direct investment recovered last year, although investment flows continued to show significant differences between developed and developing countries.
Global foreign direct investment rose by 6 percent year-on-year in 2025 to 1.6 trillion dollars, bringing an end to two consecutive years of decline. Foreign direct investment flows to developed countries increased by 11 percent to 723 billion dollars. Foreign direct investment in developing countries, meanwhile, rose by only 2 percent to 901 billion dollars. Although foreign direct investment remains an important source of external financing for developing economies, uneven growth in investment flows directly affects development across regions.
The United States was the largest recipient of foreign direct ınvestment, attracting 277 billion dollars
Twenty countries, including several developing economies, attracted 80 percent of global foreign direct investment. The United States was the largest recipient of foreign direct investment last year, attracting 277 billion dollars. It was followed by Singapore with 151 billion dollars, Hong Kong with 116 billion dollars, China with 105 billion dollars and Brazil with 77 billion dollars. The United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, Mexico, India, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Israel, Russia, France, Indonesia, Vietnam and Spain also ranked among the 20 largest recipients of foreign direct investment.
Artificial ıntelligence, energy and trade policies reshaped sectoral ınvestment patterns
Data centers ranked first in the sectoral distribution of foreign direct investment. Artificial intelligence, energy and trade policies reshaped investment patterns across sectors. Artificial intelligence infrastructure, semiconductors, critical minerals and energy transition technologies accounted for 44 percent of global greenfield investment, compared with 16 percent in 2020. Foreign direct investment in data centers reached 235 billion dollars last year, while investment amounted to 38 billion dollars in the oil and gas sector and 13 billion dollars in the semiconductor sector.
According to UNCTAD, the outlook for foreign direct investment in 2026 remains challenging. Uncertainty surrounding trade policies, geopolitical tensions, high financing costs and economic fragmentation continue to influence investment decisions.
