Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Low & middle income
Low & middle income: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) was 494.29 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$.
Analysis
Low & middle income recorded 494.29 billion BoP, current US$ for foreign direct investment, net inflows in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.9% on the previous year and down 17.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Low & middle income peaked at 723.99 billion BoP, current US$ in 2021 and was at its lowest, 2.31 billion BoP, current US$, in 1972.
Low & middle income ranks 7th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) 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 | 20.60 billion BoP, current US$ | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 29.18 billion BoP, current US$ | +41.7% |
| 1992 | 40.64 billion BoP, current US$ | +39.3% |
| 1993 | 59.48 billion BoP, current US$ | +46.3% |
| 1994 | 79.46 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 | 142.96 billion BoP, current US$ | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 151.09 billion BoP, current US$ | +5.7% |
| 2000 | 140.81 billion BoP, current US$ | -6.8% |
| 2001 | 155.76 billion BoP, current US$ | +10.6% |
| 2002 | 143.85 billion BoP, current US$ | -7.6% |
| 2003 | 147.53 billion BoP, current US$ | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 190.49 billion BoP, current US$ | +29.1% |
| 2005 | 271.40 billion BoP, current US$ | +42.5% |
| 2006 | 331.54 billion BoP, current US$ | +22.2% |
| 2007 | 462.38 billion BoP, current US$ | +39.5% |
| 2008 | 525.00 billion BoP, current US$ | +13.5% |
| 2009 | 381.08 billion BoP, current US$ | -27.4% |
| 2010 | 576.16 billion BoP, current US$ | +51.2% |
| 2011 | 671.87 billion BoP, current US$ | +16.6% |
| 2012 | 623.77 billion BoP, current US$ | -7.2% |
| 2013 | 671.49 billion BoP, current US$ | +7.6% |
| 2014 | 615.24 billion BoP, current US$ | -8.4% |
| 2015 | 599.25 billion BoP, current US$ | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 516.67 billion BoP, current US$ | -13.8% |
| 2017 | 504.51 billion BoP, current US$ | -2.4% |
| 2018 | 580.75 billion BoP, current US$ | +15.1% |
| 2019 | 528.03 billion BoP, current US$ | -9.1% |
| 2020 | 518.57 billion BoP, current US$ | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 723.99 billion BoP, current US$ | +39.6% |
| 2022 | 587.96 billion BoP, current US$ | -18.8% |
| 2023 | 407.51 billion BoP, current US$ | -30.7% |
| 2024 | 462.33 billion BoP, current US$ | +13.5% |
| 2025 | 494.29 billion BoP, current US$ | +6.9% |
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$ | 20.60 billion BoP, current US$ | 151.09 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 274.98 billion BoP, current US$ | 140.81 billion BoP, current US$ | 525.00 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 588.77 billion BoP, current US$ | 504.51 billion BoP, current US$ | 671.87 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 532.44 billion BoP, current US$ | 407.51 billion BoP, current US$ | 723.99 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Low & middle income
- 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
- 7 Ireland 75.00 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 Low & middle income
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 267.99 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), per capita 3,305 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), annual growth rate 6.51 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.5761 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per capita 3,519 current US$ per person (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 5.02 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.5412 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- GDP (current US$), per capita 6,107 current US$ per person (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.9385 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- GDP (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 4.53 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Low & middle income?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Low & middle income was 494.29 billion BoP, current US$ 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 723.99 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 7th out of 47 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 17.5%. 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.