Vietnam’s foreign investment registrations climbed 76.4% in the first nine months of 2026, while Citi Head of International Ernesto Torres Cantú said local suppliers could help determine the country’s longer-term gains.
The National Statistics Office recorded $50.36 billion in registrations through Sept. 30. New projects accounted for $29.24 billion across 3,108 licenses. Added capital for existing projects made up $14.15 billion, while foreign investors’ capital contributions and share purchases accounted for $6.97 billion.
Estimated foreign direct investment disbursed from January through September reached $21.07 billion, up 12.1% from a year earlier. The statistics office said the nine-month disbursement total was the highest for that period since 2022. Registrations and disbursements capture different stages of investment.
In an interview with VnExpress, Torres Cantú said the amount of incoming capital was only one measure of its potential benefit. He identified semiconductors, advanced electronics and digital infrastructure as possible areas for future investment.
Torres Cantú linked companies’ search for new production locations and suppliers to pandemic disruptions and geopolitical tensions. He said investors would weigh the strength of local suppliers alongside workforce skills, reliable power, infrastructure and predictable rules.
Domestic suppliers could benefit if incoming investment raises productivity, Torres Cantú said.
FTSE Russell moved Vietnam’s equity market from Frontier to Secondary Emerging status when trading opened Sept. 21. Torres Cantú expects the change to widen access to international investment. The designation concerns stocks, separate from the direct investment measured by the statistics office.
Citi also has a commercial interest in cross-border activity. HDBank said in September that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Citi covering treasury, trade finance and payments.
The National Statistics Office’s next monthly economic report is scheduled for Nov. 3.
