Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) was 63.35 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in United Arab Emirates, 1980–2025
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$.
Analysis
United Arab Emirates recorded 63.35 billion BoP, current US$ for foreign direct investment, net outflows in 2025.
That represents a change of down 17.9% on the previous year and up 279.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in United Arab Emirates peaked at 77.18 billion BoP, current US$ in 2024 and was at its lowest, -57.65 million BoP, current US$, in 1990.
That places United Arab Emirates 11th out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | -2.00 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1981 | 3.00 million BoP, current US$ | -250.0% |
| 1982 | 8.00 million BoP, current US$ | +166.7% |
| 1983 | 3.00 million BoP, current US$ | -62.5% |
| 1984 | 10.00 million BoP, current US$ | +233.3% |
| 1985 | 11.07 million BoP, current US$ | +10.7% |
| 1986 | -23.33 million BoP, current US$ | -310.7% |
| 1987 | -11.11 million BoP, current US$ | -52.4% |
| 1988 | 69.61 million BoP, current US$ | -726.6% |
| 1989 | 3.69 million BoP, current US$ | -94.7% |
| 1990 | -57.65 million BoP, current US$ | -1663.6% |
| 1991 | 10.44 million BoP, current US$ | -118.1% |
| 1992 | 15.20 million BoP, current US$ | +45.5% |
| 1993 | 30.76 million BoP, current US$ | +102.4% |
| 1994 | 577.00 million BoP, current US$ | +1775.8% |
| 1995 | 62.47 million BoP, current US$ | -89.2% |
| 1996 | 128.61 million BoP, current US$ | +105.9% |
| 1997 | 231.13 million BoP, current US$ | +79.7% |
| 1998 | 127.30 million BoP, current US$ | -44.9% |
| 1999 | 317.11 million BoP, current US$ | +149.1% |
| 2000 | 423.67 million BoP, current US$ | +33.6% |
| 2001 | 213.70 million BoP, current US$ | -49.6% |
| 2002 | 441.12 million BoP, current US$ | +106.4% |
| 2003 | 991.15 million BoP, current US$ | +124.7% |
| 2004 | 2.21 billion BoP, current US$ | +122.8% |
| 2005 | 3.75 billion BoP, current US$ | +69.9% |
| 2006 | 10.89 billion BoP, current US$ | +190.4% |
| 2007 | 14.57 billion BoP, current US$ | +33.7% |
| 2008 | 15.82 billion BoP, current US$ | +8.6% |
| 2009 | 2.72 billion BoP, current US$ | -82.8% |
| 2010 | 2.02 billion BoP, current US$ | -26.0% |
| 2011 | 2.18 billion BoP, current US$ | +8.1% |
| 2012 | 2.54 billion BoP, current US$ | +16.4% |
| 2013 | 8.83 billion BoP, current US$ | +248.1% |
| 2014 | 11.74 billion BoP, current US$ | +32.9% |
| 2015 | 16.69 billion BoP, current US$ | +42.2% |
| 2016 | 15.71 billion BoP, current US$ | -5.9% |
| 2017 | 14.06 billion BoP, current US$ | -10.5% |
| 2018 | 15.08 billion BoP, current US$ | +7.3% |
| 2019 | 21.23 billion BoP, current US$ | +40.8% |
| 2020 | 18.94 billion BoP, current US$ | -10.8% |
| 2021 | 22.55 billion BoP, current US$ | +19.1% |
| 2022 | 24.83 billion BoP, current US$ | +10.1% |
| 2023 | 22.30 billion BoP, current US$ | -10.2% |
| 2024 | 77.18 billion BoP, current US$ | +246.1% |
| 2025 | 63.35 billion BoP, current US$ | -17.9% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 63.35 billion BoP, current US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.46 billion BoP, current US$, 43.4× the median. (70 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 63.35 billion BoP, current US$ is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 266.18 million BoP, current US$, 238.0× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in United Arab Emirates 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +1775.8% | 30.76 million BoP, current US$ | 577.00 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1990 | -1663.6% | 3.69 million BoP, current US$ | -57.65 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1988 | +726.6% | -11.11 million BoP, current US$ | 69.61 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 7.19 million BoP, current US$ | -23.33 million BoP, current US$ | 69.61 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 144.24 million BoP, current US$ | -57.65 million BoP, current US$ | 577.00 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.20 billion BoP, current US$ | 213.70 million BoP, current US$ | 15.82 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.01 billion BoP, current US$ | 2.02 billion BoP, current US$ | 21.23 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.19 billion BoP, current US$ | 18.94 billion BoP, current US$ | 77.18 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
More economy & growth data for United Arab Emirates
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.85 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4.54 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0056 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 285.14 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 0.2593 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0043 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 208.21 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0041 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in United Arab Emirates?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in United Arab Emirates was 63.35 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 outflows recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 77.18 billion BoP, current US$ in 2024.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was -57.65 million BoP, current US$ in 1990.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 11th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 279.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates 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.
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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.