Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Low & middle income
Low & middle income: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 379.03 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Low & middle income, 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$.
Analysis
Low & middle income recorded 379.03 billion BoP, current US$ for foreign direct investment, net inflows in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 18.3% on the previous year and down 36.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Low & middle income peaked at 726.65 billion BoP, current US$ in 2021 and was at its lowest, 2.31 billion BoP, current US$, in 1972.
Low & middle income ranks 8th of 45 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Low & middle income, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.04 billion BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 3.11 billion BoP, current US$ | +2.2% |
| 1972 | 2.31 billion BoP, current US$ | -25.7% |
| 1973 | 4.46 billion BoP, current US$ | +93.0% |
| 1974 | 5.14 billion BoP, current US$ | +15.4% |
| 1975 | 6.14 billion BoP, current US$ | +19.5% |
| 1976 | 4.84 billion BoP, current US$ | -21.2% |
| 1977 | 4.83 billion BoP, current US$ | -0.2% |
| 1978 | 6.39 billion BoP, current US$ | +32.4% |
| 1979 | 7.35 billion BoP, current US$ | +15.0% |
| 1980 | 7.47 billion BoP, current US$ | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 12.18 billion BoP, current US$ | +63.2% |
| 1982 | 10.23 billion BoP, current US$ | -16.0% |
| 1983 | 9.15 billion BoP, current US$ | -10.5% |
| 1984 | 9.07 billion BoP, current US$ | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 11.42 billion BoP, current US$ | +25.9% |
| 1986 | 9.43 billion BoP, current US$ | -17.4% |
| 1987 | 11.11 billion BoP, current US$ | +17.8% |
| 1988 | 18.16 billion BoP, current US$ | +63.5% |
| 1989 | 20.53 billion BoP, current US$ | +13.1% |
| 1990 | 20.59 billion BoP, current US$ | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 29.17 billion BoP, current US$ | +41.7% |
| 1992 | 40.63 billion BoP, current US$ | +39.3% |
| 1993 | 59.47 billion BoP, current US$ | +46.4% |
| 1994 | 79.44 billion BoP, current US$ | +33.6% |
| 1995 | 87.71 billion BoP, current US$ | +10.4% |
| 1996 | 109.81 billion BoP, current US$ | +25.2% |
| 1997 | 143.78 billion BoP, current US$ | +30.9% |
| 1998 | 142.90 billion BoP, current US$ | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 151.19 billion BoP, current US$ | +5.8% |
| 2000 | 140.85 billion BoP, current US$ | -6.8% |
| 2001 | 155.81 billion BoP, current US$ | +10.6% |
| 2002 | 143.88 billion BoP, current US$ | -7.7% |
| 2003 | 147.51 billion BoP, current US$ | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 190.47 billion BoP, current US$ | +29.1% |
| 2005 | 271.42 billion BoP, current US$ | +42.5% |
| 2006 | 331.76 billion BoP, current US$ | +22.2% |
| 2007 | 462.39 billion BoP, current US$ | +39.4% |
| 2008 | 524.83 billion BoP, current US$ | +13.5% |
| 2009 | 381.24 billion BoP, current US$ | -27.4% |
| 2010 | 575.62 billion BoP, current US$ | +51.0% |
| 2011 | 671.53 billion BoP, current US$ | +16.7% |
| 2012 | 623.66 billion BoP, current US$ | -7.1% |
| 2013 | 669.98 billion BoP, current US$ | +7.4% |
| 2014 | 615.25 billion BoP, current US$ | -8.2% |
| 2015 | 599.44 billion BoP, current US$ | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 517.97 billion BoP, current US$ | -13.6% |
| 2017 | 511.87 billion BoP, current US$ | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 591.02 billion BoP, current US$ | +15.5% |
| 2019 | 528.72 billion BoP, current US$ | -10.5% |
| 2020 | 522.15 billion BoP, current US$ | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 726.65 billion BoP, current US$ | +39.2% |
| 2022 | 591.04 billion BoP, current US$ | -18.7% |
| 2023 | 407.90 billion BoP, current US$ | -31.0% |
| 2024 | 463.71 billion BoP, current US$ | +13.7% |
| 2025 | 379.03 billion BoP, current US$ | -18.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.76 billion BoP, current US$ | 2.31 billion BoP, current US$ | 7.35 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.87 billion BoP, current US$ | 7.47 billion BoP, current US$ | 20.53 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 86.47 billion BoP, current US$ | 20.59 billion BoP, current US$ | 151.19 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 275.02 billion BoP, current US$ | 140.85 billion BoP, current US$ | 524.83 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 590.51 billion BoP, current US$ | 511.87 billion BoP, current US$ | 671.53 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 515.08 billion BoP, current US$ | 379.03 billion BoP, current US$ | 726.65 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Low & middle income
- 5 China 79.98 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 6 Brazil 77.68 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 7 United Kingdom 76.63 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 8 France 73.03 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 9 Canada 69.03 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 10 British Virgin Islands 53.60 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 11 Japan 45.81 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Low & middle income
- Final consumption expenditure 26.76 trillion current US$ (2024)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure per capita growth 3.6% (2024)
- Services, value added 22.45 trillion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- Services, value added 23.90 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Households and NPISHs final consumption expenditure 52.9% (2024)
- Final consumption expenditure 4.4% (2025)
- Gross national expenditure 38.54 trillion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- Gross national expenditure 39.85 trillion current US$ (2024)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure per capita 2,984 constant 2015 US$ (2024)
- Final consumption expenditure 26.18 trillion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Low & middle income?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Low & middle income was 379.03 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 Low & middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 726.65 billion BoP, current US$ in 2021.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Low & middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.31 billion BoP, current US$ in 1972.
- How does Low & middle income rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Low & middle income ranks 8th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Low & middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 36.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Low & middle income 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.