In 2025, the global investment environment was shaped by rising trade tensions, tariffs, and supply-chain restructuring, prompting companies to tread more cautiously on cross-border expansion plans.
According to FT Locations’ greenfield investment monitor, foreign companies announced more than 16,500 greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in 2025, representing an estimated $1.36 trillion in capital investment pledges.
While project volumes declined, estimated capital expenditure still rose by 2.2% as investment became increasingly concentrated in capital-intensive sectors, particularly communications, renewable energy, and semiconductors. Even as many firms scaled back new physical expansion plans, strategic industries tied to digital infrastructure, energy transition, and industrial capacity continued to attract significant investment.
This chart shows how global FDI capital investment was distributed across sectors in 2025, based on data from The fDi Report 2026 published by fDi Intelligence.
Key Takeaways:
- Communications emerged as the largest FDI sector in 2025, overtaking renewable energy with an estimated $345.6 billion in announced capital investment. Growth was driven largely by mega projects in data processing, hosting infrastructure, and digital connectivity.
- Renewable energy ranked as the second-largest sector for FDI capital investment in 2025, after holding the top spot for six consecutive years. Announced capital expenditure in the sector declined by around 24.2% year-on-year to an estimated $200 billion, down from $264 billion in 2024, amid a slowdown in mega renewable projects.
- Semiconductors remained one of the world’s largest destinations for foreign capital, attracting an estimated $138.2 billion in announced investment in 2025. The sector recorded a 10.6% increase in capital expenditure from 2024, driven by continued expansion plans across North America and Asia-Pacific.
- Real estate attracted an estimated $111.5 billion in FDI capital investment in 2025, marking its highest level since 2018. While announced capital expenditure rose 15.7% year-on-year, the number of projects recorded a modest decline, suggesting larger average project sizes.
- Software & IT services recorded a slowdown in greenfield FDI activity in 2025. Capital investment in the sector declined by more than 22% year-on-year to an estimated $38.5 billion, although the industry continued to generate the highest number of jobs among all sectors.
- Capital investment into the coal, oil & gas sector declined sharply in 2025, falling 31.3% from the previous year to an estimated $61 billion. Despite relatively stable project numbers, the sector recorded one of its lowest levels of mega-project activity since 2020.
- Transportation & warehousing remained relatively resilient in 2025, with announced FDI capital investment rising to an estimated $57.7 billion during the year. The sector continued to benefit from supply-chain restructuring and logistics expansion trends.
- Chemicals attracted an estimated $35 billion in announced FDI capital investment in 2025, reflecting continued interest in industrial supply chains and advanced manufacturing inputs despite broader caution in global investment activity.
- Automotive OEM investment moderated in 2025, with the sector attracting an estimated $32 billion in announced capital expenditure. Even so, the industry remained an important destination for manufacturing-related FDI amid ongoing mobility and EV transition strategies.
Note: Figures represent announced greenfield FDI capital investment in 2025.
Source: The fDi Report 2026, fDi Intelligence (Financial Times Ltd.)
