Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Ireland
Ireland: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) was 75.00 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Ireland, 1970–2025
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. Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Ireland stood at 75.00 billion BoP, current US$.
That represents a change of up 240.0% on the previous year and down 66.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Ireland peaked at 226.02 billion BoP, current US$ in 2015 and was at its lowest, -139.97 billion BoP, current US$, in 2023.
Ireland ranks 7th of 204 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Ireland, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 32.00 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 25.00 million BoP, current US$ | -21.9% |
| 1972 | 31.00 million BoP, current US$ | +24.0% |
| 1973 | 52.00 million BoP, current US$ | +67.7% |
| 1974 | 51.20 million BoP, current US$ | -1.5% |
| 1975 | 158.17 million BoP, current US$ | +208.9% |
| 1976 | 172.68 million BoP, current US$ | +9.2% |
| 1977 | 136.24 million BoP, current US$ | -21.1% |
| 1978 | 375.26 million BoP, current US$ | +175.4% |
| 1979 | 336.68 million BoP, current US$ | -10.3% |
| 1980 | 286.45 million BoP, current US$ | -14.9% |
| 1981 | 203.45 million BoP, current US$ | -29.0% |
| 1982 | 242.01 million BoP, current US$ | +19.0% |
| 1983 | 169.65 million BoP, current US$ | -29.9% |
| 1984 | 121.36 million BoP, current US$ | -28.5% |
| 1985 | 163.66 million BoP, current US$ | +34.9% |
| 1986 | 250.29 million BoP, current US$ | +52.9% |
| 1987 | 322.48 million BoP, current US$ | +28.8% |
| 1988 | 257.44 million BoP, current US$ | -20.2% |
| 1989 | 192.76 million BoP, current US$ | -25.1% |
| 1990 | 621.91 million BoP, current US$ | +222.6% |
| 1991 | 1.36 billion BoP, current US$ | +118.9% |
| 1992 | 1.46 billion BoP, current US$ | +7.1% |
| 1993 | 1.08 billion BoP, current US$ | -26.1% |
| 1994 | 856.98 million BoP, current US$ | -20.5% |
| 1995 | 1.44 billion BoP, current US$ | +68.4% |
| 1996 | 2.62 billion BoP, current US$ | +81.4% |
| 1997 | 2.03 billion BoP, current US$ | -22.5% |
| 1998 | 8.86 billion BoP, current US$ | +336.8% |
| 1999 | 18.21 billion BoP, current US$ | +105.5% |
| 2000 | 25.78 billion BoP, current US$ | +41.6% |
| 2001 | 9.65 billion BoP, current US$ | -62.6% |
| 2002 | 29.32 billion BoP, current US$ | +203.8% |
| 2003 | 22.78 billion BoP, current US$ | -22.3% |
| 2004 | -10.61 billion BoP, current US$ | -146.6% |
| 2005 | 47.00 billion BoP, current US$ | -543.1% |
| 2006 | 22.07 billion BoP, current US$ | -53.0% |
| 2007 | 59.93 billion BoP, current US$ | +171.6% |
| 2008 | 23.29 billion BoP, current US$ | -61.1% |
| 2009 | 53.97 billion BoP, current US$ | +131.8% |
| 2010 | 37.75 billion BoP, current US$ | -30.1% |
| 2011 | 23.70 billion BoP, current US$ | -37.2% |
| 2012 | 58.09 billion BoP, current US$ | +145.1% |
| 2013 | 72.54 billion BoP, current US$ | +24.9% |
| 2014 | 104.90 billion BoP, current US$ | +44.6% |
| 2015 | 226.02 billion BoP, current US$ | +115.5% |
| 2016 | 79.80 billion BoP, current US$ | -64.7% |
| 2017 | 71.12 billion BoP, current US$ | -10.9% |
| 2018 | 80.58 billion BoP, current US$ | +13.3% |
| 2019 | 31.25 billion BoP, current US$ | -61.2% |
| 2020 | 35.29 billion BoP, current US$ | +12.9% |
| 2021 | 77.72 billion BoP, current US$ | +120.3% |
| 2022 | -35.58 billion BoP, current US$ | -145.8% |
| 2023 | -139.97 billion BoP, current US$ | +293.4% |
| 2024 | -53.56 billion BoP, current US$ | -61.7% |
| 2025 | 75.00 billion BoP, current US$ | -240.0% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 75.00 billion BoP, current US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.99 billion BoP, current US$, 25.1× the median. (73 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 75.00 billion BoP, current US$ is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.65 billion BoP, current US$, 45.5× the median. (51 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Ireland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +543.1% | -10.61 billion BoP, current US$ | 47.00 billion BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 137.02 million BoP, current US$ | 25.00 million BoP, current US$ | 375.26 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 220.95 million BoP, current US$ | 121.36 million BoP, current US$ | 322.48 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.85 billion BoP, current US$ | 621.91 million BoP, current US$ | 18.21 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.32 billion BoP, current US$ | -10.61 billion BoP, current US$ | 59.93 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 78.58 billion BoP, current US$ | 23.70 billion BoP, current US$ | 226.02 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | -6.85 billion BoP, current US$ | -139.97 billion BoP, current US$ | 77.72 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 4 Germany 95.19 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 5 China 79.98 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 6 Brazil 77.68 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 8 Canada 70.13 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 9 France 61.10 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 10 United Arab Emirates 48.24 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Ireland
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.96 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.52 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 7.18 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0082 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 1,078 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 2.06 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.006 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 787.03 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 2.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0048 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Ireland?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Ireland was 75.00 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to 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.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 226.02 billion BoP, current US$ in 2015.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was -139.97 billion BoP, current US$ in 2023.
- How does Ireland rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Ireland ranks 7th out of 204 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 66.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures 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 part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in the reporting 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. Data are in current U.S. dollars.