Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Malaysia
Malaysia: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 15.59 billion BoP, current US$ in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Malaysia, 1970–2024
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$.
Analysis
Malaysia recorded 15.59 billion BoP, current US$ for foreign direct investment, net inflows in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 96.9% on the previous year and up 46.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Malaysia peaked at 20.25 billion BoP, current US$ in 2021 and was at its lowest, 94.00 million BoP, current US$, in 1970.
Malaysia ranks 28th of 202 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 94.00 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 100.00 million BoP, current US$ | +6.4% |
| 1972 | 114.00 million BoP, current US$ | +14.0% |
| 1973 | 172.00 million BoP, current US$ | +50.9% |
| 1974 | 570.82 million BoP, current US$ | +231.9% |
| 1975 | 350.49 million BoP, current US$ | -38.6% |
| 1976 | 381.26 million BoP, current US$ | +8.8% |
| 1977 | 405.89 million BoP, current US$ | +6.5% |
| 1978 | 499.99 million BoP, current US$ | +23.2% |
| 1979 | 573.47 million BoP, current US$ | +14.7% |
| 1980 | 933.90 million BoP, current US$ | +62.9% |
| 1981 | 1.26 billion BoP, current US$ | +35.4% |
| 1982 | 1.40 billion BoP, current US$ | +10.5% |
| 1983 | 1.26 billion BoP, current US$ | -9.8% |
| 1984 | 797.48 million BoP, current US$ | -36.7% |
| 1985 | 694.71 million BoP, current US$ | -12.9% |
| 1986 | 488.87 million BoP, current US$ | -29.6% |
| 1987 | 422.68 million BoP, current US$ | -13.5% |
| 1988 | 719.42 million BoP, current US$ | +70.2% |
| 1989 | 1.67 billion BoP, current US$ | +131.8% |
| 1990 | 2.33 billion BoP, current US$ | +39.8% |
| 1991 | 4.00 billion BoP, current US$ | +71.4% |
| 1992 | 5.18 billion BoP, current US$ | +29.6% |
| 1993 | 5.01 billion BoP, current US$ | -3.4% |
| 1994 | 4.34 billion BoP, current US$ | -13.3% |
| 1995 | 4.18 billion BoP, current US$ | -3.8% |
| 1996 | 5.08 billion BoP, current US$ | +21.5% |
| 1997 | 5.14 billion BoP, current US$ | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 2.16 billion BoP, current US$ | -57.9% |
| 1999 | 3.90 billion BoP, current US$ | +80.1% |
| 2000 | 3.79 billion BoP, current US$ | -2.8% |
| 2001 | 553.95 million BoP, current US$ | -85.4% |
| 2002 | 3.19 billion BoP, current US$ | +476.4% |
| 2003 | 3.22 billion BoP, current US$ | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 4.38 billion BoP, current US$ | +35.9% |
| 2005 | 3.92 billion BoP, current US$ | -10.3% |
| 2006 | 7.69 billion BoP, current US$ | +96.0% |
| 2007 | 9.07 billion BoP, current US$ | +18.0% |
| 2008 | 7.57 billion BoP, current US$ | -16.5% |
| 2009 | 114.66 million BoP, current US$ | -98.5% |
| 2010 | 10.89 billion BoP, current US$ | +9393.7% |
| 2011 | 15.12 billion BoP, current US$ | +38.9% |
| 2012 | 8.90 billion BoP, current US$ | -41.2% |
| 2013 | 11.30 billion BoP, current US$ | +27.0% |
| 2014 | 10.62 billion BoP, current US$ | -6.0% |
| 2015 | 9.86 billion BoP, current US$ | -7.2% |
| 2016 | 13.47 billion BoP, current US$ | +36.7% |
| 2017 | 9.37 billion BoP, current US$ | -30.4% |
| 2018 | 8.30 billion BoP, current US$ | -11.4% |
| 2019 | 9.15 billion BoP, current US$ | +10.2% |
| 2020 | 4.06 billion BoP, current US$ | -55.7% |
| 2021 | 20.25 billion BoP, current US$ | +398.8% |
| 2022 | 15.03 billion BoP, current US$ | -25.8% |
| 2023 | 7.92 billion BoP, current US$ | -47.3% |
| 2024 | 15.59 billion BoP, current US$ | +96.9% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 15.59 billion BoP, current US$ is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.14 billion BoP, current US$, 13.6× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 15.59 billion BoP, current US$ is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.04 billion BoP, current US$, 15.0× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Malaysia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | +9393.7% | 114.66 million BoP, current US$ | 10.89 billion BoP, current US$ |
| 2002 | +476.4% | 553.95 million BoP, current US$ | 3.19 billion BoP, current US$ |
| 2021 | +398.8% | 4.06 billion BoP, current US$ | 20.25 billion BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 326.19 million BoP, current US$ | 94.00 million BoP, current US$ | 573.47 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 964.74 million BoP, current US$ | 422.68 million BoP, current US$ | 1.67 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.13 billion BoP, current US$ | 2.16 billion BoP, current US$ | 5.18 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.35 billion BoP, current US$ | 114.66 million BoP, current US$ | 9.07 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.70 billion BoP, current US$ | 8.30 billion BoP, current US$ | 15.12 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.57 billion BoP, current US$ | 4.06 billion BoP, current US$ | 20.25 billion BoP, current US$ | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 25 Thailand 18.84 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 26 Denmark 18.24 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 27 South Korea 15.80 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 29 Egypt 15.45 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 30 Chile 14.51 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 31 Portugal 13.49 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Malaysia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.04 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.97 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 13.04 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0309 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 366.69 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 15.59 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 96.92 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0369 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 438.53 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 8.09 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Malaysia?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Malaysia was 15.59 billion BoP, current US$ in 2024, 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 20.25 billion BoP, current US$ in 2021.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 94.00 million BoP, current US$ in 1970.
- How does Malaysia rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Malaysia ranks 28th out of 202 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 46.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.