In the last 20 years, the amount of FDI into the United States has more than doubled. In 2000, FDI was 1.26 trillion U.S. dollars, rising to 5.39 trillion U.S. dollars in 2023. Foreign direct investment (FDI) is an investment from a company in one country into a company or entity located in another country. While the United States receives huge amounts of FDI each year, it also invests large amounts in other countries. For example, in 2020 the United States invested over 890 billon U.S. dollars in the United Kingdom and another 843.95 billion U.S. dollars in the Netherlands.

In 2024, ** percent of adults in the United States invested in the stock market. This figure has remained steady over the last few years, and is still below the levels before the Great Recession, when it peaked in 2007 at ** percent. What is the stock market? The stock market can be defined as a group of stock exchanges, where investors can buy shares in a publicly traded company. In more recent years, it is estimated an increasing number of Americans are using neobrokers, making stock trading more accessible to investors. Other investments A significant number of people think stocks and bonds are the safest investments, while others point to real estate, gold, bonds, or a savings account. Since witnessing the significant one-day losses in the stock market during the Financial Crisis, many investors were turning towards these alternatives in hopes for more stability, particularly for investments with longer maturities. This could explain the decrease in this statistic since 2007. Nevertheless, some speculators enjoy chasing the short-run fluctuations, and others see value in choosing particular stocks.

Graph and download economic data for Rest of the World; Foreign Direct Investment in U.S.; Asset (Current Cost), Transactions (ROWFDIQ027S) from Q4 1946 to Q1 2025 about FDI, IMA, transactions, assets, and USA.

In 2022, foreign direct investment (FDI) from the United States to other countries amounted to 6.58 trillion U.S. dollars. Foreign direct investment reflects the ownership of business from one country in another country. It differs from a traditional investment in companies located abroad by the ownership factor in case of FDI.

Why is FDI important?

FDI has influences in the both the sending and receiving countries. In the recipient countries, FDI can be an important source of capital that might not otherwise be available. This is particularly true in less developed regions, such as in Africa. The countries which received the largest amount of foreign direct investment from the United States in 2019 were the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Luxembourg.

FDI flows to the United States

On the other hand, the countries that sent the most FDI to the United States in 2017 were Japan, the United Kingdom and Canada. There were about 8.7 million jobs offered in the U.S. due to foreign direct investments as of 2019.

United States - Gross domestic investment was 6720.28600 Bil. of $ in January of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Gross domestic investment reached a record high of 6720.28600 in January of 2025 and a record low of 39.62200 in April of 1947. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Gross domestic investment - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for U.S. Liabilities: Portfolio Investment (IIPPORTLQ) from Q1 2006 to Q1 2025 about liabilities, investment, and USA.

Key information about United States Foreign Direct Investment: % of GDP

• United States Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) registered a growth equal to 1.3 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Sep 2024, compared with a growth equal to 1.7 % in the previous quarter.
• US Foreign Direct Investment: % of Nominal GDP data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1960 to Sep 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 6.2 % in Jun 1999 and a record low -1.7 % in Mar 2014.

• In the latest reports of US, Current Account recorded a deficit of 310.9 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) increased by 96.6 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• US Direct Investment Abroad expanded by 96.8 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• Its Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 637.6 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 6,632.4 USD bn in Mar 2023.

United States Foreign Direct Investment Position: Outward: % of Total (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: Total: Near and Middle East data was reported at 1.215 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.218 % for 2022. United States Foreign Direct Investment Position: Outward: % of Total (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: Total: Near and Middle East data is updated yearly, averaging 1.218 % from Dec 2020 (Median) to 2023, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.345 % in 2020 and a record low of 1.215 % in 2023. United States Foreign Direct Investment Position: Outward: % of Total (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: Total: Near and Middle East data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.OECD.FDI: Foreign Direct Investment: % of Total FDI: by Region and Country: OECD Member: Annual. Reverse investment:Reverse investment in equity (when a direct investment enterprise acquires less than 10% equity ownership in its parent) cannot be identified but is believed to be extremely rare. Netting of reverse investment in debt (when a direct investment enterprise extends a loan to its parent) is applied in the recording of total inward and outward FDI transactions and positions. Treatment of debt FDI transactions and positions between fellow enterprises: directional basis according to the residency of the direct investor. FDI transactions and positions by partner country and by industry include resident Special Purpose Entities (SPEs), but they are not significant. Valuation method used for listed inward and outward equity positions: Book values. Valuation method used for unlisted inward and outward equity positions: Book value. Valuation method used for inward and outward debt positions: Book value.; FDI statistics are available by geographic allocation, vis-à-vis single partner countries worldwide and geographical and economic zones aggregates. Partner country allocation can be subject to confidentiality restrictions. Geographic allocation of inward and outward FDI transactions and positions is according to the immediate counterparty. Inward FDI positions according to the ultimate counterparty (the ultimate investing country) are also available and publishable. In the dataset 'FDI statistics by parner country and by industry - Summary', inward FDI positions are showed according to the UIC. Intercompany debt between related financial intermediaries, including permanent debt, are excluded from FDI transactions and positions. Direct investment relationships are identified according to the criteria of the Participation Multiplication Method (PMM) method. Debt between fellow enterprises are partially covered. Collective investment institutions are partially covered as direct investment enterprises. Non-profit institutions serving households are covered as direct investors. FDI statistics are available by industry sectors according to ISIC4 classification. Industry sector allocation can be subject to confidentiality restrictions. Inward FDI transactions and positions are allocated to the activity of the resident direct investment enterprise. Outward FDI transactions are allocated according to the activity of the resident direct investor. Outward FDI positions are allocated according to the activity of the non resident direct investment enterprise. Statistical unit: Local Enterprise Group.

Graph and download economic data for U.S. Assets: Portfolio Investment (IIPPORTAQ) from Q1 2006 to Q1 2025 about investment, assets, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Rest of the World; Foreign Direct Investment in U.S. Real Estate Business (Market Value); Asset, Revaluation (BOGZ1FR265014003A) from 1946 to 2024 about FDI, revaluation, real estate, assets, and USA.

In 2022, no country had a higher foreign direct investment (FDI) position in the United States than Japan, followed by the United Kingdom and Canada. At that time, Japan had over 711 billion U.S. dollars invested in the United States.

What is FDI?

FDI is an international investment, in this case when a foreign firm or individual invests in a business in the United States. The worldwide value of FDI flows is immense, which is a result of the increasing connectedness of world financial markets. In this statistic, we see countries that are connected to the U.S. for historic and geographic reasons, such as the UK and Canada respectively, investing large sums of money in U.S. enterprises. The countries which received the most FDI from the United States in 2022 were the Netherlands, the UK, and Luxembourg.

The effects of FDI

Foreign direct investment, like any increase in capital, leads to a higher number of jobs. The economy of the target country grows, and the investing country generally earns a good rate of return. Critics of FDI worry that it opens companies to the influence of foreign individuals and firms.

Graph and download economic data for Gross Private Domestic Investment (GPDI) from Q1 1947 to Q1 2025 about investment, gross, domestic, private, GDP, and USA.

This table contains 2 series, with data for years 1953 - 1987 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years), and is no longer being released. This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 item: United States);  Type of investment statistics (2 items: Newly appropriated capital appropriations; Capital expenditures).

Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in United States was reported at 454084000000 USD in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United States - Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

United States (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: Position: Latin America & Other Western Hemisphere data was reported at 124.862 USD bn in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 124.568 USD bn for 2016. United States (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: Position: Latin America & Other Western Hemisphere data is updated yearly, averaging 33.282 USD bn from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2017, with 38 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 124.862 USD bn in 2017 and a record low of 9.678 USD bn in 1980. United States (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: Position: Latin America & Other Western Hemisphere data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of Economic Analysis. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.O005: Foreign Direct Investment: by Country: Stock.

United States (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: Real Estate & Rental & Leasing data was reported at 521.000 USD mn in Jun 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.507 USD bn for Mar 2018. United States (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: Real Estate & Rental & Leasing data is updated quarterly, averaging 646.000 USD mn from Mar 1997 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 86 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5.564 USD bn in Jun 2014 and a record low of -5.743 USD bn in Dec 2008. United States (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: Real Estate & Rental & Leasing data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of Economic Analysis. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.O001: Foreign Direct Investment: by Industry: NAICS: Flow.

Graph and download economic data for Rest of the World; Foreign Direct Investment in U.S.; Asset (Current Cost), Level (ROWFDNQ027S) from Q4 1945 to Q4 2024 about FDI, IMA, assets, and USA.

Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in United States was reported at 387990000000 USD in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United States - Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) in Lesotho was reported at 12572108 USD in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Lesotho - Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

This dataset provides values for FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.