According to the Foreign Investment Agency (Ministry of Finance), total foreign direct investment (FDI) registered in Vietnam in the first quarter of 2025 (as of March 31, 2025) reached 10.98 billion USD, recording an impressive growth rate of 34.7% over the same period last year. This is a positive signal showing the attractiveness of the Vietnamese investment environment in the context of many challenges in the global economy.
In the first quarter of 2025, there were 850 newly licensed projects with a total registered capital of 4.33 billion USD, an increase of 11.5% in the number of projects but a decrease of 31.5% in registered capital compared to the same period in 2024. The processing and manufacturing industry continues to attract the most attention from foreign investors with a newly registered capital reaching 2.62 billion USD, accounting for 60.5% of the total newly registered capital. Real estate business activities ranked second with 1.13 billion USD, accounting for 26.1%. The remaining industries attracted 581.5 million USD, accounting for 13.4%.
According to Mr. Lim Dyi Chang - Senior Director of Enterprise Customer, UOB Bank Vietnam, in the context of extensive shifts reshaping the global trade landscape, Vietnam is not only emerging as a bright spot in attracting foreign direct investment capital, but is also one of the potential markets that attract strong attention from international investors.
"Vietnam has not only emerged as an attractive destination for FDI capital, but also played a role as a strategic link in the regional value chain, connecting ASEAN economies" - he said. Lim Dyi Chang reviews.
According to Mr. Lim Dyi Chang, Vietnam needs to transform from a country receiving capital simply to a strategic partner, proactively creating value.
To maintain and develop its position as an FDI hub, Mr. Lim Dyi Chang suggested that Vietnam needs to prioritize the development of modern and synchronous infrastructure, especially in the fields of logistics, energy and digital connectivity - an essential foundation to ensure operational efficiency and expansion of enterprises. In particular, maintaining a transparent, stable and efficient legal environment, thereby contributing to strengthening investor confidence and improving national competitiveness.
According to Mr. Lim Dyi Chang, Vietnam also needs to promote close cooperation between the public and private sectors, especially in the field of human resource development, compliance with regulations and promotion of innovation - key factors for long-term competitiveness.
Maintaining an open and effective financial ecosystem, supporting capital turnover, meeting diverse funding needs and promoting financial innovation. Fourth, developing the middle class to develop strongly, this factor not only promotes domestic consumption but also plays an important role in providing skilled labor for Vietnam in the coming time.
Mr. Lim Dyi Chang recommended that Vietnam should strongly commit to sustainable development and ESG standards, which are an essential factor in investment decisions of global financial institutions. Finally, it is necessary to develop flexible policies, in line with the development of the digital economy, thereby creating conditions for innovation in an effective governance environment.
