Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) in Kuwait
Kuwait: Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) was 2.58 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net in Kuwait, 1975–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net in Kuwait is 2.58 billion BoP, current US$, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 73.5% on the previous year and down 50.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net in Kuwait peaked at 23.80 billion BoP, current US$ in 2022 and was at its lowest, -4.89 billion BoP, current US$, in 2003.
That places Kuwait 20th out of 197 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 93.09 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1976 | 109.44 million BoP, current US$ | +17.6% |
| 1977 | 52.34 million BoP, current US$ | -52.2% |
| 1978 | 94.53 million BoP, current US$ | +80.6% |
| 1979 | -188.16 million BoP, current US$ | -299.0% |
| 1980 | 406.96 million BoP, current US$ | -316.3% |
| 1981 | -150.65 million BoP, current US$ | -137.0% |
| 1982 | 107.67 million BoP, current US$ | -171.5% |
| 1983 | 240.16 million BoP, current US$ | +123.0% |
| 1984 | 94.57 million BoP, current US$ | -60.6% |
| 1985 | 69.82 million BoP, current US$ | -26.2% |
| 1986 | 247.77 million BoP, current US$ | +254.8% |
| 1987 | 775.13 million BoP, current US$ | +212.8% |
| 1988 | 476.65 million BoP, current US$ | -38.5% |
| 1989 | 993.94 million BoP, current US$ | +108.5% |
| 1992 | 1.21 billion BoP, current US$ | +21.8% |
| 1993 | 639.41 million BoP, current US$ | -47.2% |
| 1994 | -1.52 billion BoP, current US$ | -337.6% |
| 1995 | -1.03 billion BoP, current US$ | -32.3% |
| 1996 | 1.39 billion BoP, current US$ | -235.4% |
| 1997 | -988.96 million BoP, current US$ | -171.0% |
| 1998 | -1.93 billion BoP, current US$ | +94.8% |
| 1999 | -49.27 million BoP, current US$ | -97.4% |
| 2000 | -319.48 million BoP, current US$ | +548.4% |
| 2001 | -1.80 billion BoP, current US$ | +464.1% |
| 2002 | -80.29 million BoP, current US$ | -95.5% |
| 2003 | -4.89 billion BoP, current US$ | +5994.2% |
| 2004 | 2.56 billion BoP, current US$ | -152.3% |
| 2005 | 4.91 billion BoP, current US$ | +91.9% |
| 2006 | 8.09 billion BoP, current US$ | +64.8% |
| 2007 | 9.67 billion BoP, current US$ | +19.6% |
| 2008 | 9.10 billion BoP, current US$ | -6.0% |
| 2009 | 7.47 billion BoP, current US$ | -17.9% |
| 2010 | 4.59 billion BoP, current US$ | -38.6% |
| 2011 | 7.51 billion BoP, current US$ | +63.9% |
| 2012 | 3.87 billion BoP, current US$ | -48.5% |
| 2013 | 15.21 billion BoP, current US$ | +293.3% |
| 2014 | 12.62 billion BoP, current US$ | -17.0% |
| 2015 | 5.15 billion BoP, current US$ | -59.2% |
| 2016 | 6.11 billion BoP, current US$ | +18.5% |
| 2017 | 6.93 billion BoP, current US$ | +13.3% |
| 2018 | 2.99 billion BoP, current US$ | -56.8% |
| 2019 | 4.16 billion BoP, current US$ | +39.1% |
| 2020 | 3.71 billion BoP, current US$ | -10.8% |
| 2021 | -1.97 billion BoP, current US$ | -153.0% |
| 2022 | 23.80 billion BoP, current US$ | -1308.8% |
| 2023 | 9.09 billion BoP, current US$ | -61.8% |
| 2024 | 9.71 billion BoP, current US$ | +6.8% |
| 2025 | 2.58 billion BoP, current US$ | -73.5% |
Kuwait compared with similar countries
- Kuwait's 2.58 billion BoP, current US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is -143.28 million BoP, current US$. (70 countries reporting)
- Kuwait's 2.58 billion BoP, current US$ is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is -956.04 million BoP, current US$. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) in Kuwait 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | -5994.2% | -80.29 million BoP, current US$ | -4.89 billion BoP, current US$ |
| 2022 | +1308.8% | -1.97 billion BoP, current US$ | 23.80 billion BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 32.25 million BoP, current US$ | -188.16 million BoP, current US$ | 109.44 million BoP, current US$ | 5 |
| 1980s | 326.20 million BoP, current US$ | -150.65 million BoP, current US$ | 993.94 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | -283.67 million BoP, current US$ | -1.93 billion BoP, current US$ | 1.39 billion BoP, current US$ | 8 |
| 2000s | 3.47 billion BoP, current US$ | -4.89 billion BoP, current US$ | 9.67 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.92 billion BoP, current US$ | 2.99 billion BoP, current US$ | 15.21 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.82 billion BoP, current US$ | -1.97 billion BoP, current US$ | 23.80 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
More economy & growth data for Kuwait
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate 10.23 % change on previous year (2024)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.82 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.61 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0284 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 916.14 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 0.517 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0207 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 668.96 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 2.97 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net in Kuwait?
- Foreign direct investment, net in Kuwait was 2.58 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 Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 23.80 billion BoP, current US$ in 2022.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was -4.89 billion BoP, current US$ in 2003.
- How does Kuwait rank for foreign direct investment, net?
- Kuwait ranks 20th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is down 50.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kuwait 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.