As of March 20, Vietnam had attracted $6.17 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI), marking a notable year-on-year increase of 13.4%, according to the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

During this period, 644 new projects were granted investment certificates, with a total registered capital of $4.77 billion, reflecting a 23.4% rise in project numbers and a significant 57.9% increase in value compared to the previous year.

Additionally, $934.6 million was allocated to be added to 248 existing projects, while $466.2 million was earmarked for stake purchases and capital contributions.

The disbursed foreign investment in the first quarter increased by 7.1% to reach $4.63 billion, indicating a positive trend expected to continue, as noted by the agency.

Foreign investors directed capital into 17 out of 21 economic sectors. Notably, the manufacturing and processing industry attracted the most significant investment, with a total registered capital of $3.93 billion, though experiencing a slight decrease of 1.3% from the previous year.

The real estate sector followed closely with a total registered capital of $1.58 billion, more than double the figure from the same period last year. This was trailed by the wholesale and retail industry and science and technology sectors, with investments of $224.8 million and $190.2 million, respectively.

The influx of foreign investment originated from 62 countries and territories. Singapore emerged as the leading investor in Vietnam during this period, with a total registered capital exceeding $2.55 billion, marking a substantial increase of 51.3%. Hong Kong followed with $1.05 billion, more than double the previous year’s figure.

Hanoi, the capital city, stood out as the top FDI destination, attracting an influx of $970.8 million, which was over six times the amount recorded during the same period last year. It was trailed by northern Bac Ninh province, which received $745.2 million in FDI.