FDI inflows into Vietnam in the first four months of 2026 are concentrating in a handful of strategic manufacturing hubs while spilling beyond the traditional Hanoi–Hai Phong axis — a shift in the location criteria foreign investors are applying.
Four localities recording FDI inflows above the billion-USD mark
According to the Foreign Investment Agency, total registered FDI reached USD 18.24 billion as of 27 April 2026 — up 32% year-on-year — across 1,249 newly licensed projects in 29 of the 34 provinces receiving foreign capital. Four localities crossed the billion-dollar mark: Thai Nguyen (USD 6 billion), Ho Chi Minh City (USD 3.9 billion), Nghe An (USD 2.2 billion) and Bac Ninh (USD 1.4 billion).
Thai Nguyen alone crossed USD 6 billion, driven largely by large-scale semiconductor and electronics-component projects. The absence of Hanoi and Hai Phong from the top tier signals capital moving toward provinces with clean industrial land, ready road and seaport infrastructure to absorb new investors.
By sector, manufacturing and processing still lead with USD 10.49 billion (68.6%), followed by power and water at USD 2.31 billion (15.1%). The mix continues to reinforce demand for compliant ready-built factories, industrial land with clear legal title and end-to-end FDI services across the northern key economic region — including the Hai Phong port-anchored industrial cluster.
Source: Cafef – Vietnam FDI top localities, first four months of 2026.
