In the first five months of 2026, Vietnam's outbound investment volume reached US$794.6 million, a 2.5-fold increase compared to the same period last year. This was reported by the General Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance.
From January to May, Vietnamese companies were granted licenses for 85 overseas investment projects with a total value of US$760.8 million. This is nearly 2.8 times higher compared to the same period in 2025. Additionally, 10 other projects increased investment capital by US$33.8 million, though this figure was 18.7% lower than last year's level.
The largest share of investments went to the construction sector — US$178.8 million, accounting for 22.5% of the total outbound capital. The electricity, gas, and utility services sector ranked second with US$163.8 million (20.6%). Rounding out the top three was transportation and logistics, which attracted US$150.5 million or 18.9% of all investments.
During the reporting period, Vietnamese businesses invested in 33 countries and territories. Laos remains the largest destination, receiving US$199.5 million, or 25.1% of the total volume. Kyrgyzstan ranks second with investments of US$149.9 million (18.9%), and the United Kingdom holds the third position with US$82.8 million (10.4%).
Other key markets included Kazakhstan (US$36 million), Cambodia (US$32.9 million), the United States (US$31.9 million), and the British Virgin Islands (US$30.1 million).
The growth in overseas investment activity has been observed for several consecutive years, reflecting Vietnamese companies' ambition to expand their presence in international markets. A number of projects abroad are already demonstrating significant economic impact for both investors and host countries.
Concurrently, the inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) into Vietnam continues to grow. In the first five months of 2026, the total registered foreign investment reached US$24.81 billion, an increase of 34.9% compared to the same period last year.
The manufacturing and processing industry remains the leader in attracting foreign capital, accounting for US$9.64 billion or 65% of all registered investments. This is followed by projects in the energy and utility services sector with a volume of US$2.45 billion (16.5%). Other sectors attracted US$2.75 billion, making up 18.5% of the total registered FDI.