HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam recorded approximately US$10.98 billion in foreign investment during the first quarter of this year, marking a 35 per cent year-on-year increase, according to the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) under the Ministry of Finance.

A total of 401 operating projects registered for investment capital adjustments in the first quarter of 2025, marking a 50 per cent increase. The total additional capital reached nearly $5.16 billion, a fivefold increase compared to the same period last year.

Additionally, foreign investors conducted 810 capital contribution and share purchase transactions, marking an 12 per cent rise, with total capital contributions reaching $1.49 billion, up 84 per cent compared to the same period.

However, newly registered foreign investment capital dropped 32 per cent year-on-year, totalling just over $4.33 billion in Q1, due to lack of large-scale projects.

According to the FIA, the downward trend began to reverse in March this year, with new investment capital increasing 67 per cent compared to January and nearly 2.4 times higher than February.

In another bright spot, foreign investment disbursement grew 7 per cent year-on-year, reaching nearly $4.96 billion in the period. This increase underscores sustained confidence from international investors, reaffirming Việt Nam's position as a key investment destination.

Foreign investors allocated capital to 18 out of the 21 economic sectors in Việt Nam from January to March. The manufacturing and processing industry led the way, attracting over $6.79 billion, which accounted for 61.9 per cent of the total investment and marked a 26 per cent increase from the same period last year.

The real estate sector followed, receiving over $2.39 billion, making up 21.8 per cent of the total and surging 44 per cent year-on-year. Other notable sectors included professional activities, science and technology, wholesale and retail, which attracted nearly $591 million and $272 million, respectively.

In the first three months, 73 countries and territories invested in Việt Nam, with Singapore leading the way, contributing over $3 billion, or 27.6 per cent of the total investment capital. This marked a 3.8 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

South Korea ranked second with nearly $2.04 billion, accounting for 8.5 per cent of the total, representing a nearly 2.7-fold increase from last year. Other major investors included mainland China, Japan and Taiwan.

Foreign investment was spread across 50 provinces and cities. Bắc Ninh emerged as the top destination, attracting nearly $1.9 billion, which accounted for 17.3 per cent of total capital, over two times higher than the same period last year.

HCM City came next with nearly $1.43 billion, or 13 per cent of the total, a 58.3 per cent increase from the previous year. Hà Nội ranked third with $1.42 billion, making up 13 per cent of total investment, up 24 per cent year-on-year.

Other provinces, including Đồng Nai, Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu and Hà Nam, also saw significant foreign investment. — VNS