Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) in Panama
Panama: Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) was -1.81 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net in Panama, 1977–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net in Panama stood at -1.81 billion BoP, current US$.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 9.6% on the previous year and up 54.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net in Panama peaked at 595.10 million BoP, current US$ in 1988 and was at its lowest, -4.56 billion BoP, current US$, in 2016.
That places Panama 143rd out of 197 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) in Panama, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | -10.90 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1978 | 2.50 million BoP, current US$ | -122.9% |
| 1979 | -49.80 million BoP, current US$ | -2092.0% |
| 1980 | -218.50 million BoP, current US$ | +338.8% |
| 1981 | -303.20 million BoP, current US$ | +38.8% |
| 1982 | -366.60 million BoP, current US$ | +20.9% |
| 1983 | -79.40 million BoP, current US$ | -78.3% |
| 1984 | 135.50 million BoP, current US$ | -270.7% |
| 1985 | -67.30 million BoP, current US$ | -149.7% |
| 1986 | -20.30 million BoP, current US$ | -69.8% |
| 1987 | 556.50 million BoP, current US$ | -2841.4% |
| 1988 | 595.10 million BoP, current US$ | +6.9% |
| 1989 | -51.50 million BoP, current US$ | -108.7% |
| 1990 | -135.50 million BoP, current US$ | +163.1% |
| 1991 | -108.50 million BoP, current US$ | -19.9% |
| 1992 | -144.50 million BoP, current US$ | +33.2% |
| 1993 | -169.60 million BoP, current US$ | +17.4% |
| 1994 | -401.50 million BoP, current US$ | +136.7% |
| 1995 | -223.00 million BoP, current US$ | -44.5% |
| 1996 | -415.50 million BoP, current US$ | +86.3% |
| 1997 | -1.30 billion BoP, current US$ | +212.7% |
| 1998 | -1.20 billion BoP, current US$ | -7.4% |
| 1999 | -755.60 million BoP, current US$ | -37.2% |
| 2000 | -623.90 million BoP, current US$ | -17.4% |
| 2001 | -467.10 million BoP, current US$ | -25.1% |
| 2002 | -98.60 million BoP, current US$ | -78.9% |
| 2003 | -817.50 million BoP, current US$ | +729.1% |
| 2004 | -1.02 billion BoP, current US$ | +24.7% |
| 2005 | -917.60 million BoP, current US$ | -10.0% |
| 2006 | -2.55 billion BoP, current US$ | +177.6% |
| 2007 | -1.90 billion BoP, current US$ | -25.5% |
| 2008 | -2.15 billion BoP, current US$ | +13.1% |
| 2009 | -1.26 billion BoP, current US$ | -41.3% |
| 2010 | -2.41 billion BoP, current US$ | +91.1% |
| 2011 | -2.98 billion BoP, current US$ | +23.7% |
| 2012 | -3.48 billion BoP, current US$ | +17.1% |
| 2013 | -3.24 billion BoP, current US$ | -7.1% |
| 2014 | -4.13 billion BoP, current US$ | +27.6% |
| 2015 | -3.97 billion BoP, current US$ | -3.8% |
| 2016 | -4.56 billion BoP, current US$ | +14.7% |
| 2017 | -4.42 billion BoP, current US$ | -3.0% |
| 2018 | -3.86 billion BoP, current US$ | -12.6% |
| 2019 | -3.95 billion BoP, current US$ | +2.2% |
| 2020 | -1.41 billion BoP, current US$ | -64.3% |
| 2021 | -2.00 billion BoP, current US$ | +41.8% |
| 2022 | -2.12 billion BoP, current US$ | +6.3% |
| 2023 | -1.27 billion BoP, current US$ | -40.2% |
| 2024 | -2.00 billion BoP, current US$ | +57.6% |
| 2025 | -1.81 billion BoP, current US$ | -9.6% |
Panama compared with similar countries
- Panama's -1.81 billion BoP, current US$ is below the median for high income countries, which is -143.28 million BoP, current US$, 12.6× the median. (70 countries reporting)
- Panama's -1.81 billion BoP, current US$ is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is -291.29 million BoP, current US$, 6.2× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) in Panama 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | +2841.4% | -20.30 million BoP, current US$ | 556.50 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1979 | -2092.0% | 2.50 million BoP, current US$ | -49.80 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2003 | -729.1% | -98.60 million BoP, current US$ | -817.50 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1980 | -338.8% | -49.80 million BoP, current US$ | -218.50 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -19.40 million BoP, current US$ | -49.80 million BoP, current US$ | 2.50 million BoP, current US$ | 3 |
| 1980s | 18.03 million BoP, current US$ | -366.60 million BoP, current US$ | 595.10 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | -485.61 million BoP, current US$ | -1.30 billion BoP, current US$ | -108.50 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | -1.18 billion BoP, current US$ | -2.55 billion BoP, current US$ | -98.60 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | -3.70 billion BoP, current US$ | -4.56 billion BoP, current US$ | -2.41 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.77 billion BoP, current US$ | -2.12 billion BoP, current US$ | -1.27 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Panama
- 140 Ukraine -1.73 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 141 Myanmar -1.74 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 142 Bangladesh -1.75 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 144 South Africa -1.85 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 145 Democratic Republic of Congo -1.87 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 146 Ghana -1.87 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Panama
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate 58.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.82 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 3.53 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0058 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 114.24 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -1.41 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0042 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 83.42 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate -18.73 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net in Panama?
- Foreign direct investment, net in Panama was -1.81 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 Panama?
- The highest recorded value was 595.10 million BoP, current US$ in 1988.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net recorded in Panama?
- The lowest recorded value was -4.56 billion BoP, current US$ in 2016.
- How does Panama rank for foreign direct investment, net?
- Panama ranks 143rd out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net rising or falling in Panama?
- Over the last ten years it is up 54.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Panama 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.