Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in United States
United States: Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) was 389.60 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in United States, 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$.
Analysis
United States recorded 389.60 billion BoP, current US$ for foreign direct investment, net outflows in 2025.
That represents a change of up 78.0% on the previous year and up 29.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in United States peaked at 523.89 billion BoP, current US$ in 2007 and was at its lowest, -130.72 billion BoP, current US$, in 2018.
That places United States 1st out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in United States, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6.49 billion BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 5.62 billion BoP, current US$ | -13.4% |
| 1972 | 7.33 billion BoP, current US$ | +30.4% |
| 1973 | 9.34 billion BoP, current US$ | +27.4% |
| 1974 | 5.16 billion BoP, current US$ | -44.8% |
| 1975 | 13.73 billion BoP, current US$ | +166.1% |
| 1976 | 11.32 billion BoP, current US$ | -17.6% |
| 1977 | 11.28 billion BoP, current US$ | -0.4% |
| 1978 | 14.37 billion BoP, current US$ | +27.4% |
| 1979 | 24.72 billion BoP, current US$ | +72.0% |
| 1980 | 19.04 billion BoP, current US$ | -23.0% |
| 1981 | 10.11 billion BoP, current US$ | -46.9% |
| 1982 | 7.77 billion BoP, current US$ | -23.1% |
| 1983 | 8.77 billion BoP, current US$ | +12.8% |
| 1984 | 12.82 billion BoP, current US$ | +46.2% |
| 1985 | 3.68 billion BoP, current US$ | -71.3% |
| 1986 | 19.52 billion BoP, current US$ | +430.5% |
| 1987 | 39.80 billion BoP, current US$ | +103.8% |
| 1988 | 21.70 billion BoP, current US$ | -45.5% |
| 1989 | 50.98 billion BoP, current US$ | +134.9% |
| 1990 | 59.94 billion BoP, current US$ | +17.6% |
| 1991 | 49.27 billion BoP, current US$ | -17.8% |
| 1992 | 58.77 billion BoP, current US$ | +19.3% |
| 1993 | 82.80 billion BoP, current US$ | +40.9% |
| 1994 | 89.99 billion BoP, current US$ | +8.7% |
| 1995 | 110.06 billion BoP, current US$ | +22.3% |
| 1996 | 103.02 billion BoP, current US$ | -6.4% |
| 1997 | 121.38 billion BoP, current US$ | +17.8% |
| 1998 | 174.76 billion BoP, current US$ | +44.0% |
| 1999 | 247.49 billion BoP, current US$ | +41.6% |
| 2000 | 186.37 billion BoP, current US$ | -24.7% |
| 2001 | 146.04 billion BoP, current US$ | -21.6% |
| 2002 | 178.99 billion BoP, current US$ | +22.6% |
| 2003 | 195.22 billion BoP, current US$ | +9.1% |
| 2004 | 374.00 billion BoP, current US$ | +91.6% |
| 2005 | 52.59 billion BoP, current US$ | -85.9% |
| 2006 | 283.80 billion BoP, current US$ | +439.6% |
| 2007 | 523.89 billion BoP, current US$ | +84.6% |
| 2008 | 343.58 billion BoP, current US$ | -34.4% |
| 2009 | 312.60 billion BoP, current US$ | -9.0% |
| 2010 | 349.83 billion BoP, current US$ | +11.9% |
| 2011 | 436.62 billion BoP, current US$ | +24.8% |
| 2012 | 377.24 billion BoP, current US$ | -13.6% |
| 2013 | 392.80 billion BoP, current US$ | +4.1% |
| 2014 | 387.53 billion BoP, current US$ | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 302.07 billion BoP, current US$ | -22.1% |
| 2016 | 299.81 billion BoP, current US$ | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 409.41 billion BoP, current US$ | +36.6% |
| 2018 | -130.72 billion BoP, current US$ | -131.9% |
| 2019 | 114.93 billion BoP, current US$ | -187.9% |
| 2020 | 282.33 billion BoP, current US$ | +145.7% |
| 2021 | 342.15 billion BoP, current US$ | +21.2% |
| 2022 | 401.87 billion BoP, current US$ | +17.5% |
| 2023 | 359.19 billion BoP, current US$ | -10.6% |
| 2024 | 218.89 billion BoP, current US$ | -39.1% |
| 2025 | 389.60 billion BoP, current US$ | +78.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 389.60 billion BoP, current US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.46 billion BoP, current US$, 266.7× the median. (70 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in United States 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | +439.6% | 52.59 billion BoP, current US$ | 283.80 billion BoP, current US$ |
| 1986 | +430.5% | 3.68 billion BoP, current US$ | 19.52 billion BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 10.94 billion BoP, current US$ | 5.16 billion BoP, current US$ | 24.72 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.42 billion BoP, current US$ | 3.68 billion BoP, current US$ | 50.98 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 109.75 billion BoP, current US$ | 49.27 billion BoP, current US$ | 247.49 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 259.71 billion BoP, current US$ | 52.59 billion BoP, current US$ | 523.89 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 293.95 billion BoP, current US$ | -130.72 billion BoP, current US$ | 436.62 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 332.34 billion BoP, current US$ | 218.89 billion BoP, current US$ | 401.87 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
More economy & growth data for United States
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.63 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.12 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.26 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0057 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 509.07 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -0.7205 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0041 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 371.72 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 0.9623 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0027 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in United States?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in United States was 389.60 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 States?
- The highest recorded value was 523.89 billion BoP, current US$ in 2007.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was -130.72 billion BoP, current US$ in 2018.
- How does United States rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- United States ranks 1st out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United States 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.