Vietnam’s overseas investment surged in the first five months of 2025, reaching US$317.3 million, a 130% increase compared to the same period in 2024, according to the National Statistics Office (NSO).
This significant growth is primarily attributed to a surge in newly licensed projects.
Between January and May, Vietnamese investors received approval for 46 new overseas projects with a total registered capital of US$275.7 million, a 170% year-on-year increase. Furthermore, 13 existing projects increased their registered capital by approximately US$41.6 million, a 27.8% rise compared to the same period last year.
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Lach Huyen Port in Hai Phong City, northern Vietnam, in January 2025. Photo by Read/Le Tan |
Vietnamese investors have primarily focused on the production and distribution of electricity, gas, hot water, steam, and air conditioning, which accounted for 35% of total outbound investment. This was followed by manufacturing and processing industries (22.7%) and transportation and warehousing (15.9%).
Among overseas investment destinations, Laos remains the top recipient, with a total registered capital of US$145.9 million from Vietnamese investors. Indonesia ranked second with US$59.1 million, followed by the Philippines (US$34.3 million) and Japan (US$26.1 million).
Simultaneously, foreign direct investment in Vietnam has seen a sharp increase, reaching US$18.39 billion in the first five months of 2025, representing a 51.2% growth compared to the same period last year. Realised capital stood at US$8.9 billion, marking a 7.9% increase.
