The World Investment Report 2026 shows that global investment is up, but growth is increasingly concentrated in a narrow group of economies and sectors. Broadening its development impact remains the central challenge.

Key takeaways

• Global foreign direct investment rose 6% to $1.6 trillion in 2025, ending two years of decline.
• The recovery remains fragile and uneven: inflows to developed economies rose 11%, while developing economies recorded only 2% growth, reaching $901 billion.
• Much of the increase reflected a small number of megaprojects, especially in AI-related digital infrastructure.
• The world’s top 20 host economies attracted more than 80% of global FDI, while strategic sectors accounted for 44% of global greenfield project values, up from 16% in 2020.
• FDI remains a major source of external finance for developing economies, but its development impact depends on whether it builds productive capacity, jobs, skills and technology transfer.
• The outlook for 2026 remains clouded by trade policy uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, conflicts, high financing costs and economic fragmentation.

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Browse by chapter

Chapter I: International investment trends

Chapter II: Investment policy trends

Chapter III: International investment in a turbulent era - Trends and policy response

Annex Tables

World Investment Report 2026 (Overview)