Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in Panama
Panama: Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) was 938.47 million BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Panama, 1977–2025
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$.
Analysis
Panama recorded 938.47 million BoP, current US$ for foreign direct investment, net inflows in 2025.
The figure is down 55.0% on the previous year and down 81.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Panama peaked at 5.25 billion BoP, current US$ in 2016 and was at its lowest, -1.63 billion BoP, current US$, in 2020.
That places Panama 100th out of 204 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) 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 | 252.30 million BoP, current US$ | +406.6% |
| 1981 | 303.20 million BoP, current US$ | +20.2% |
| 1982 | 366.60 million BoP, current US$ | +20.9% |
| 1983 | 79.40 million BoP, current US$ | -78.3% |
| 1984 | 22.20 million BoP, current US$ | -72.0% |
| 1985 | 67.30 million BoP, current US$ | +203.2% |
| 1986 | 126.10 million BoP, current US$ | +87.4% |
| 1987 | -447.90 million BoP, current US$ | -455.2% |
| 1988 | -460.50 million BoP, current US$ | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 51.50 million BoP, current US$ | -111.2% |
| 1990 | 135.50 million BoP, current US$ | +163.1% |
| 1991 | 124.70 million BoP, current US$ | -8.0% |
| 1992 | 150.50 million BoP, current US$ | +20.7% |
| 1993 | 177.00 million BoP, current US$ | +17.6% |
| 1994 | 401.50 million BoP, current US$ | +126.8% |
| 1995 | 281.30 million BoP, current US$ | -29.9% |
| 1996 | 428.30 million BoP, current US$ | +52.3% |
| 1997 | 1.31 billion BoP, current US$ | +206.4% |
| 1998 | 1.32 billion BoP, current US$ | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 1.04 billion BoP, current US$ | -20.7% |
| 2000 | 827.80 million BoP, current US$ | -20.7% |
| 2001 | 606.80 million BoP, current US$ | -26.7% |
| 2002 | 247.10 million BoP, current US$ | -59.3% |
| 2003 | 1.05 billion BoP, current US$ | +325.2% |
| 2004 | 1.28 billion BoP, current US$ | +21.6% |
| 2005 | 1.10 billion BoP, current US$ | -13.6% |
| 2006 | 2.94 billion BoP, current US$ | +166.6% |
| 2007 | 2.22 billion BoP, current US$ | -24.5% |
| 2008 | 2.39 billion BoP, current US$ | +7.5% |
| 2009 | 1.09 billion BoP, current US$ | -54.6% |
| 2010 | 2.55 billion BoP, current US$ | +134.8% |
| 2011 | 4.40 billion BoP, current US$ | +72.4% |
| 2012 | 3.38 billion BoP, current US$ | -23.1% |
| 2013 | 3.80 billion BoP, current US$ | +12.3% |
| 2014 | 4.98 billion BoP, current US$ | +31.2% |
| 2015 | 5.12 billion BoP, current US$ | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 5.25 billion BoP, current US$ | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 4.08 billion BoP, current US$ | -22.2% |
| 2018 | 4.30 billion BoP, current US$ | +5.4% |
| 2019 | 4.68 billion BoP, current US$ | +8.8% |
| 2020 | -1.63 billion BoP, current US$ | -134.8% |
| 2021 | 1.83 billion BoP, current US$ | -212.3% |
| 2022 | 2.37 billion BoP, current US$ | +29.0% |
| 2023 | 2.74 billion BoP, current US$ | +15.7% |
| 2024 | 2.09 billion BoP, current US$ | -23.8% |
| 2025 | 938.47 million BoP, current US$ | -55.0% |
Panama compared with similar countries
- Panama's 938.47 million BoP, current US$ is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.99 billion BoP, current US$, 31% of the median. (73 countries reporting)
- Panama's 938.47 million BoP, current US$ is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 938.47 million BoP, current US$, 1.0× the median. (39 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | +2092.0% | -2.50 million BoP, current US$ | 49.80 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1987 | -455.2% | 126.10 million BoP, current US$ | -447.90 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1980 | +406.6% | 49.80 million BoP, current US$ | 252.30 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2003 | +325.2% | 247.10 million BoP, current US$ | 1.05 billion BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 19.40 million BoP, current US$ | -2.50 million BoP, current US$ | 49.80 million BoP, current US$ | 3 |
| 1980s | 36.02 million BoP, current US$ | -460.50 million BoP, current US$ | 366.60 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 536.97 million BoP, current US$ | 124.70 million BoP, current US$ | 1.32 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.38 billion BoP, current US$ | 247.10 million BoP, current US$ | 2.94 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.25 billion BoP, current US$ | 2.55 billion BoP, current US$ | 5.25 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.39 billion BoP, current US$ | -1.63 billion BoP, current US$ | 2.74 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Panama
- 97 Sri Lanka 1.04 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 98 Rwanda 967.46 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 99 Zimbabwe 965.00 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 101 Madagascar 888.98 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 102 Italy 882.91 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 103 Maldives 857.08 million 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 inflows in Panama?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Panama was 938.47 million 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 Panama?
- The highest recorded value was 5.25 billion BoP, current US$ in 2016.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Panama?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.63 billion BoP, current US$ in 2020.
- How does Panama rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Panama ranks 100th out of 204 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Panama?
- Over the last ten years it is down 81.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Panama 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.