Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Malaysia
Malaysia: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 3.7% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Malaysia, 1970–2024
Source: International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2024, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Malaysia stood at 3.7%.
The figure is up 86.5% on the previous year and up 17.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Malaysia peaked at 8.8% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 2009.
That places Malaysia 64th out of 200 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.4% | — |
| 1971 | 2.4% | -3.1% |
| 1972 | 2.3% | -4.1% |
| 1973 | 2.2% | -0.7% |
| 1974 | 6.0% | +167.8% |
| 1975 | 3.8% | -37.3% |
| 1976 | 3.5% | -8.5% |
| 1977 | 3.1% | -10.5% |
| 1978 | 3.1% | -1.1% |
| 1979 | 2.7% | -11.6% |
| 1980 | 3.8% | +41.1% |
| 1981 | 5.1% | +32.6% |
| 1982 | 5.2% | +3.1% |
| 1983 | 4.2% | -20.3% |
| 1984 | 2.3% | -43.4% |
| 1985 | 2.2% | -5.2% |
| 1986 | 1.8% | -20.8% |
| 1987 | 1.3% | -25.5% |
| 1988 | 2.0% | +55.3% |
| 1989 | 4.3% | +110.5% |
| 1990 | 5.3% | +23.4% |
| 1991 | 8.1% | +53.6% |
| 1992 | 8.8% | +7.7% |
| 1993 | 7.5% | -14.6% |
| 1994 | 5.8% | -22.1% |
| 1995 | 4.7% | -19.2% |
| 1996 | 5.0% | +6.9% |
| 1997 | 5.1% | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 3.0% | -41.6% |
| 1999 | 4.9% | +64.2% |
| 2000 | 4.0% | -17.9% |
| 2001 | 0.6% | -85.2% |
| 2002 | 3.2% | +430.3% |
| 2003 | 2.9% | -7.7% |
| 2004 | 3.5% | +20.1% |
| 2005 | 2.7% | -22.0% |
| 2006 | 4.7% | +72.9% |
| 2007 | 4.7% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 3.3% | -30.0% |
| 2009 | 0.1% | -98.3% |
| 2010 | 4.3% | +7429.5% |
| 2011 | 5.1% | +18.9% |
| 2012 | 2.8% | -44.2% |
| 2013 | 3.5% | +23.5% |
| 2014 | 3.1% | -10.1% |
| 2015 | 3.3% | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 4.5% | +36.7% |
| 2017 | 2.9% | -34.3% |
| 2018 | 2.3% | -21.2% |
| 2019 | 2.5% | +8.3% |
| 2020 | 1.2% | -52.0% |
| 2021 | 5.4% | +350.3% |
| 2022 | 3.7% | -32.0% |
| 2023 | 2.0% | -46.3% |
| 2024 | 3.7% | +86.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.1% | 2.2% | 6.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.2% | 1.3% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.8% | 3.0% | 8.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.0% | 0.1% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.4% | 2.3% | 5.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.2% | 1.2% | 5.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 61 Rwanda 3.8% compare
- 62 Bulgaria 3.7% compare
- 63 Turkmenistan 3.7% compare
- 65 Côte d'Ivoire 3.6% compare
- 66 North Macedonia 3.5% compare
- 67 Honduras 3.5% 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)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), annual growth rate 4.15 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), per unit of GDP 3.04 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), per capita 39,906 current LCU per person (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 3.07 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.6284 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 8,247 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 16.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2133 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Malaysia?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Malaysia was 3.7% in 2024, according to International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 8.8% in 1992.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 2009.
- How does Malaysia rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Malaysia ranks 64th out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Foreign direct investment is the net inflows of investment to acquire a lasting management interest (10 percent or more of voting stock) in an enterprise operating in an economy other than that of the investor. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, other long-term capital, and short-term capital as shown in the balance of payments. This series shows net inflows (new investment inflows less disinvestment) in the reporting economy from foreign investors, and is divided by GDP.