Foreign direct investment, net outflows in High income
High income: Foreign direct investment, net outflows was 1.22 trillion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in High 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$.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net outflows in High income stood at 1.22 trillion BoP, current US$.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 13.3% on the previous year and down 37.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in High income peaked at 3.08 trillion BoP, current US$ in 2007 and was at its lowest, 11.93 billion BoP, current US$, in 1970.
That places High income 2nd out of 45 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in High income, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 11.93 billion BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 12.40 billion BoP, current US$ | +3.9% |
| 1972 | 15.26 billion BoP, current US$ | +23.1% |
| 1973 | 23.85 billion BoP, current US$ | +56.2% |
| 1974 | 20.34 billion BoP, current US$ | -14.7% |
| 1975 | 27.62 billion BoP, current US$ | +35.8% |
| 1976 | 27.39 billion BoP, current US$ | -0.8% |
| 1977 | 28.04 billion BoP, current US$ | +2.4% |
| 1978 | 37.12 billion BoP, current US$ | +32.4% |
| 1979 | 60.76 billion BoP, current US$ | +63.7% |
| 1980 | 54.13 billion BoP, current US$ | -10.9% |
| 1981 | 49.74 billion BoP, current US$ | -8.1% |
| 1982 | 35.86 billion BoP, current US$ | -27.9% |
| 1983 | 41.74 billion BoP, current US$ | +16.4% |
| 1984 | 52.73 billion BoP, current US$ | +26.3% |
| 1985 | 49.88 billion BoP, current US$ | -5.4% |
| 1986 | 93.71 billion BoP, current US$ | +87.9% |
| 1987 | 147.88 billion BoP, current US$ | +57.8% |
| 1988 | 188.56 billion BoP, current US$ | +27.5% |
| 1989 | 240.78 billion BoP, current US$ | +27.7% |
| 1990 | 274.41 billion BoP, current US$ | +14.0% |
| 1991 | 216.42 billion BoP, current US$ | -21.1% |
| 1992 | 220.17 billion BoP, current US$ | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 244.53 billion BoP, current US$ | +11.1% |
| 1994 | 301.17 billion BoP, current US$ | +23.2% |
| 1995 | 387.34 billion BoP, current US$ | +28.6% |
| 1996 | 415.88 billion BoP, current US$ | +7.4% |
| 1997 | 498.36 billion BoP, current US$ | +19.8% |
| 1998 | 756.60 billion BoP, current US$ | +51.8% |
| 1999 | 1.19 trillion BoP, current US$ | +57.4% |
| 2000 | 1.39 trillion BoP, current US$ | +16.8% |
| 2001 | 828.24 billion BoP, current US$ | -40.5% |
| 2002 | 641.79 billion BoP, current US$ | -22.5% |
| 2003 | 705.66 billion BoP, current US$ | +10.0% |
| 2004 | 1.16 trillion BoP, current US$ | +64.0% |
| 2005 | 1.37 trillion BoP, current US$ | +18.2% |
| 2006 | 2.05 trillion BoP, current US$ | +49.5% |
| 2007 | 3.08 trillion BoP, current US$ | +50.4% |
| 2008 | 2.44 trillion BoP, current US$ | -20.6% |
| 2009 | 1.40 trillion BoP, current US$ | -42.5% |
| 2010 | 1.59 trillion BoP, current US$ | +13.3% |
| 2011 | 2.07 trillion BoP, current US$ | +30.0% |
| 2012 | 1.64 trillion BoP, current US$ | -20.9% |
| 2013 | 1.81 trillion BoP, current US$ | +10.8% |
| 2014 | 1.62 trillion BoP, current US$ | -10.8% |
| 2015 | 1.96 trillion BoP, current US$ | +21.1% |
| 2016 | 1.92 trillion BoP, current US$ | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 1.89 trillion BoP, current US$ | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 698.17 billion BoP, current US$ | -63.0% |
| 2019 | 1.35 trillion BoP, current US$ | +93.5% |
| 2020 | 797.15 billion BoP, current US$ | -41.0% |
| 2021 | 2.26 trillion BoP, current US$ | +183.8% |
| 2022 | 1.90 trillion BoP, current US$ | -16.2% |
| 2023 | 794.73 billion BoP, current US$ | -58.1% |
| 2024 | 1.41 trillion BoP, current US$ | +76.8% |
| 2025 | 1.22 trillion BoP, current US$ | -13.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 26.47 billion BoP, current US$ | 11.93 billion BoP, current US$ | 60.76 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 95.50 billion BoP, current US$ | 35.86 billion BoP, current US$ | 240.78 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 450.57 billion BoP, current US$ | 216.42 billion BoP, current US$ | 1.19 trillion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.51 trillion BoP, current US$ | 641.79 billion BoP, current US$ | 3.08 trillion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.65 trillion BoP, current US$ | 698.17 billion BoP, current US$ | 2.07 trillion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.40 trillion BoP, current US$ | 794.73 billion BoP, current US$ | 2.26 trillion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near High income
- 1 United States 422.23 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 2 Japan 217.76 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 3 China (People’s Republic of) 157.21 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 4 Luxembourg 108.60 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 5 Germany 108.13 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for High income
- Final consumption expenditure 2.3% (2024)
- Manufacturing, value added 8.66 trillion current US$ (2024)
- Households and NPISHs final consumption expenditure 58.6% (2024)
- Final consumption expenditure 54.90 trillion current US$ (2024)
- Final consumption expenditure 45.91 trillion constant 2015 US$ (2024)
- Gross national expenditure 59.50 trillion constant 2015 US$ (2024)
- Exports of goods and services 19.91 trillion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- Exports of goods and services 24.41 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added 8.09 trillion constant 2015 US$ (2024)
- Gross national expenditure 71.25 trillion current US$ (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in High income?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in High income was 1.22 trillion 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 outflows recorded in High income?
- The highest recorded value was 3.08 trillion BoP, current US$ in 2007.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in High income?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.93 billion BoP, current US$ in 1970.
- How does High income rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- High income ranks 2nd out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in High income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 37.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this High 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 outflows (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in an 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. This series shows net outflows of investment from the reporting economy to the rest of the world. Data are in current U.S. dollars.