China vs Euro area: Foreign direct investment, net outflows

China
157.21 billion BoP, current US$
in 2025
Euro area
245.40 billion BoP, current US$
in 2025
China rank
3rd
Euro area rank
1st

Foreign direct investment, net outflows over time

  • China
  • Euro area
0500.0B1.0T1.5T197019972025

How they compare

Euro area currently reports 245.40 billion BoP, current US$ against 157.21 billion BoP, current US$ in China, a difference of 88.19 billion BoP, current US$.

That makes Euro area's figure about 1.6 times China's.

The two have swapped places 4 times across 44 shared years of data; in 1982 it was Euro area ahead.

China ranks 3rd and Euro area ranks 1st of 191 countries.

Euro area has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade China Euro area Difference Ahead
1980s 453.12 million BoP, current US$ 27.24 billion BoP, current US$ 26.79 billion BoP, current US$ Euro area
1990s 2.86 billion BoP, current US$ 157.38 billion BoP, current US$ 154.52 billion BoP, current US$ Euro area
2000s 19.25 billion BoP, current US$ 691.41 billion BoP, current US$ 672.17 billion BoP, current US$ Euro area
2010s 117.65 billion BoP, current US$ 657.39 billion BoP, current US$ 539.75 billion BoP, current US$ Euro area
2020s 186.27 billion BoP, current US$ 300.15 billion BoP, current US$ 113.87 billion BoP, current US$ Euro area

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher foreign direct investment, net outflows, China or Euro area?
Euro area, at 245.40 billion BoP, current US$ against 157.21 billion BoP, current US$ in China as of 2025.
What is the difference in foreign direct investment, net outflows between China and Euro area?
88.19 billion BoP, current US$, with Euro area ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and Euro area?
44 years are reported by both, from 1982 to 2025.
How do China and Euro area rank globally for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
China ranks 3rd and Euro area ranks 1st of 191 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D, published as Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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China vs Euro area: Foreign direct investment, net outflows. Statizoid, drawing on Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/compare/foreign-direct-investment-net-outflows-bop-current-us/china/euro-area/

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About this data

Indicator
Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$)
Unit
BoP, current US$
Source
Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
238 places, 10,019 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in an economy. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, and other capital. Direct investment is a category of cross-border investment associated with a resident in one economy having control or a significant degree of influence on the management of an enterprise that is resident in another economy. Ownership of 10 percent or more of the ordinary shares of voting stock is the criterion for determining the existence of a direct investment relationship. This series shows net outflows of investment from the reporting economy to the rest of the world. Data are in current U.S. dollars.