Foreign direct investment, net in Australia
Australia: Foreign direct investment, net was -41.07 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net in Australia, 1989–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net in Australia stood at -41.07 billion BoP, current US$.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.2% on the previous year and down 6.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net in Australia peaked at 58.64 billion BoP, current US$ in 2022 and was at its lowest, -59.65 billion BoP, current US$, in 2018.
That places Australia 194th out of 197 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net in Australia, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | -5.00 billion BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1990 | -7.82 billion BoP, current US$ | +56.5% |
| 1991 | -3.78 billion BoP, current US$ | -51.7% |
| 1992 | -1.11 billion BoP, current US$ | -70.7% |
| 1993 | -2.77 billion BoP, current US$ | +150.1% |
| 1994 | -2.63 billion BoP, current US$ | -5.0% |
| 1995 | -9.22 billion BoP, current US$ | +250.6% |
| 1996 | 441.65 million BoP, current US$ | -104.8% |
| 1997 | -2.01 billion BoP, current US$ | -554.5% |
| 1998 | -2.93 billion BoP, current US$ | +46.1% |
| 1999 | -1.90 billion BoP, current US$ | -35.3% |
| 2000 | -10.80 billion BoP, current US$ | +468.8% |
| 2001 | 2.66 billion BoP, current US$ | -124.7% |
| 2002 | -7.68 billion BoP, current US$ | -388.5% |
| 2003 | 9.61 billion BoP, current US$ | -225.1% |
| 2004 | -33.12 billion BoP, current US$ | -444.6% |
| 2005 | -7.62 billion BoP, current US$ | -77.0% |
| 2006 | -6.47 billion BoP, current US$ | -15.1% |
| 2007 | -30.02 billion BoP, current US$ | +364.0% |
| 2008 | -13.28 billion BoP, current US$ | -55.8% |
| 2009 | -17.47 billion BoP, current US$ | +31.5% |
| 2010 | -17.49 billion BoP, current US$ | +0.1% |
| 2011 | -57.33 billion BoP, current US$ | +227.8% |
| 2012 | -51.81 billion BoP, current US$ | -9.6% |
| 2013 | -55.24 billion BoP, current US$ | +6.6% |
| 2014 | -40.64 billion BoP, current US$ | -26.4% |
| 2015 | -38.63 billion BoP, current US$ | -4.9% |
| 2016 | -46.08 billion BoP, current US$ | +19.3% |
| 2017 | -38.19 billion BoP, current US$ | -17.1% |
| 2018 | -59.65 billion BoP, current US$ | +56.2% |
| 2019 | -29.85 billion BoP, current US$ | -50.0% |
| 2020 | -10.58 billion BoP, current US$ | -64.6% |
| 2021 | -22.20 billion BoP, current US$ | +109.9% |
| 2022 | 58.64 billion BoP, current US$ | -364.1% |
| 2023 | -22.01 billion BoP, current US$ | -137.5% |
| 2024 | -39.79 billion BoP, current US$ | +80.8% |
| 2025 | -41.07 billion BoP, current US$ | +3.2% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's -41.07 billion BoP, current US$ is below the median for high income countries, which is -153.62 million BoP, current US$, 267.3× the median. (70 countries reporting)
- Australia's -41.07 billion BoP, current US$ is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is -215.64 million BoP, current US$, 190.5× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net in Australia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | -554.5% | 441.65 million BoP, current US$ | -2.01 billion BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | -5.00 billion BoP, current US$ | -5.00 billion BoP, current US$ | -5.00 billion BoP, current US$ | 1 |
| 1990s | -3.37 billion BoP, current US$ | -9.22 billion BoP, current US$ | 441.65 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | -11.42 billion BoP, current US$ | -33.12 billion BoP, current US$ | 9.61 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | -43.49 billion BoP, current US$ | -59.65 billion BoP, current US$ | -17.49 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | -12.83 billion BoP, current US$ | -41.07 billion BoP, current US$ | 58.64 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 191 Egypt -14.76 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 192 Vietnam -19.57 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 193 Mexico -31.80 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 195 Hong Kong -45.28 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 196 Brazil -47.50 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 197 Singapore -64.89 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Australia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.36 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.26 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps -4.55 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0025 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -164.69 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 36.52 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -32.02 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0203 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1,323 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 20.24 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net in Australia?
- Foreign direct investment, net in Australia was -41.07 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 58.64 billion BoP, current US$ in 2022.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was -59.65 billion BoP, current US$ in 2018.
- How does Australia rank for foreign direct investment, net?
- Australia ranks 194th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign 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 voting power is evidence of a direct investment relationship. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.