Saudi Arabia rises to 13th in FDI rankings

Saudi Arabia ranked 13th among the world's top 20 host economies for foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2025.

According to the World Investment Report 2026 issued by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Kingdom's ranking improved after FDI inflows surged nearly 57% to $33 billion in 2025 from $21 billion a year earlier. The increase lifted Saudi Arabia four places among the world's largest FDI host economies.

The report attributed the Kingdom's strong performance to its energy, infrastructure, and economic diversification strategies.

Global FDI inflows increased 6% year on year to $1.6 trillion in 2025, while inflows to developing economies rose 2% to $901 billion.

The growth was driven primarily by a limited number of mega projects, particularly investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure.

However, greenfield investment activity remained subdued across most sectors amid heightened investor uncertainty stemming from geopolitical tensions, volatile trade policies, elevated capital costs, and intense competition.

The list of the world's largest FDI host economies continued to reflect a high concentration of global investment flows, with the top 10 destinations accounting for more than 64% of total global FDI inflows in 2025.

Developing economies also featured prominently, representing half of the top 20 FDI host economies, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Brazil, India, and Mexico, underscoring the continued role of emerging markets in attracting investment despite varying regional performance.

The United States retained its position as the world's largest recipient of FDI in 2025, followed by Singapore, Hong Kong, China, and Brazil.