Multi-billion-dollar inflows and presence of major corporations

In rapid succession in the second half of April 2026, there were two large business delegations, including several of the world’s leading billionaires, that arrived in Vietnam to explore investment and business opportunities. One delegation comprised more than 120 executives from 52 leading US corporations led by the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC). The other brought together more than 200  business leaders from the Republic of Korea (RoK), including heads of Samsung, SK, LG and Hyosung, accompanying RoK President on a visit to Vietnam.

These are not only large corporations but also firms that lead global supply chains. The presence of many top global companies in Vietnam on this occasion once again shows Vietnam’s role in the global manufacturing supply chain.

Foreign investors have long viewed Vietnam as a “leading investment destination” and a “land of opportunity.” Ko Tae Yeon, Chairman of Kocham, said Vietnam has many conditions to become a base for RoK businesses.

With global supply chains being restructured and the trade and technology environment becoming more uncertain, the arrival of more than 200 RoK companies this time shows that their confidence in and expectations for the Vietnamese market remain high.

Alongside that confidence and expectation, and alongside the arrival of billionaires in Vietnam, are multi-billion-dollar commitments and cooperation agreements between businesses. At the Vietnam-RoK Business Forum, 73 cooperation deals  were exchanged. Notably, SK Innovation  formed a consortium with two Vietnamese companies to invest in the Quynh Lap LNG-to-power project in Nghe An province, with total investment of US$2.2 billion.

Regarding the US delegation, discussions indicate that large-scale capital is being prepared. Ankur Modi, Vice President in charge of South Asia and Indochina at Philip Morris International (PMI), said the group is ready to bring investment capital, management experience, new technology and links to global supply chains to Vietnam.

Forty years of FDI attraction and improvements in quality

Confidence and expectations from foreign investors are not new. Since December 1987, when the Law on Foreign Investment was adopted, Vietnam has consistently attracted FDI and become a bright spot on the global investment map.

Cumulatively, Vietnam now has 46,198 valid FDI projects with total registered capital of more than US$542 billion. Disbursed capital has reached US$355.652 billion, equivalent to about 65.6% of total registered capital.

From 2021 to date, Vietnam has attracted US$187.33 billion in FDI, accounting for more than 34.5% of the total over nearly 40 years, showing that FDI inflows into Vietnam have accelerated in recent years.

More importantly, the quality of FDI has improved significantly. Many large corporations from the US and Europe, such as Qualcomm, NVIDIA, LEGO and SYRE, have continued to invest and expand operations, building supply chains in Vietnam, including investment in research and development (R&D).

Former Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung has said Vietnam has become a strategic destination for many major global corporations and an important link in global supply chains, particularly in high-tech sectors, electronics, semiconductors and artificial intelligence.

Data for the first three months of 2026 confirm that Vietnam continues to attract large-scale high-tech projects, pointing to a shift toward higher-quality FDI and a more selective approach that prioritises advanced technologies, high value-added activities and spillovers to domestic firms.

As the quality of inflows rises, the FDI sector’s contributions to Vietnam’s socio-economic development have increased, from boosting exports and improving workforce quality to deeper participation in global value chains.

Notably, whereas in the past the focus was often on one-sided gains, it has now shifted toward “win-win” outcomes and “shared prosperity.”

At the Vietnam-RoK Business Forum, Na Ki Hong, CEO of Samsung Vietnam, said the group is implementing programmes to support production improvement, develop smart factories, and train technology talent in Vietnam to achieve the goal of “common prosperity.”

Meanwhile, Brian McFeeters, President and CEO of the US-ASEAN Business Council, said US companies can bring advanced technology and long-term capital with the aim of supporting Vietnam as it enters its next stage of development and aims for double-digit growth.

RoK President Lee Jae Myung stressed that the two countries need to “sow the seeds” for future industries together, thereby laying the foundation for “shared prosperity” in the new era.

Direction for next development period

Vietnam has set a target of achieving double-digit growth in the 2026-2030 period, with science, technology and innovation identified as key drivers. Mobilising resources for development investment, including FDI, is therefore necessary, particularly in areas such as advanced technology, energy, infrastructure, logistics and R&D.

The five-year socio-economic development plan for 2026-2030 sets out a range of measures, including improving mechanisms to encourage FDI enterprises to reinvest in Vietnam; effectively deploying the Investment Support Fund; supporting high-tech projects; and strengthening linkages between FDI firms and domestic enterprises.

Multi-billion-dollar capital will not flow into Vietnam automatically without a critical ‘filter’- institutions, McFeeters said.

In meetings with the Vietnamese Government, foreign investors have repeatedly called for improvements to the business environment, ensuring consistency and transparency.

Vietnam’s Minister of Finance Ngo Van Tuan said the ministry will continue to refine financial and investment policies in a transparent and stable manner aligned with international practices, while working with businesses, listening to and promptly addressing their proposals to help build a favourable, competitive and predictable investment environment.

Over the past five years, despite the impact of COVID-19 and global geopolitical fluctuations, FDI inflows into Vietnam have continued to rise. In 2021, FDI hit more than US$31.15 billion, up 9.2% year on year. The figures for 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 were US$27.72 billion, US$36.61 billion, US$38.23 billion and US$38.42 billion, respectively.

In the first three months of 2026, registered FDI reached more than US$15.2 billion, up 42.9% compared with the same period in 2025.

FDI attraction in 2026: Vietnam adapts to new global investment standards

As global competition for foreign direct investment (FDI) intensifies, Vietnam continues to enhance its appeal to multinational investors, backed by competitive advantages, an improving business environment and policy reforms aligned with emerging global investment standards.