A recent increase in capital flow from Nordic companies shows a significant interest in long-term operations in Vietnam, as the country positions itself as a key destination for European investors seeking to diversify supply chains and align with global sustainability standards.

The Lego plant in Binh Duong province. The recent increase in capital flow by Nordic companies shows significant interest in long-term operations in Vietnam.

Statistics from the Foreign Investment Agency show that foreign direct investment (FDI) totalled 21.5 billion USD in the first half of this year, an increase of 32.6% over the same period last year. Of this, newly registered capital reached 9.29 billion USD in 1,988 projects.

Notably, among 72 countries and territories investing in Vietnam over the period, Sweden emerged as the third largest investor, with a total investment of 1 billion USD or 10.8% of newly registered FDI, coming after only Singapore and China.

According to the Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden, which also covers Denmark, Norway, Iceland and Latvia, Sweden’s increase in investment in Vietnam reflects a broader shift towards Southeast Asia.

Vietnam is considered a strategic destination with a stable environment, a growing market and improving infrastructure.

Denmark is also expanding its presence in Vietnam, especially in the green transition, with leading companies like Ørsted, Vestas and COWI increasing operations in Vietnam through offshore wind, logistics infrastructure, engineering consultancy and sustainability projects.

A notable project is a carbon-neutral Lego factory that started operations in the former Binh Duong province in April.

To further attract investments from Sweden and Denmark, which are global leaders in innovation and sustainability aligning with Vietnam’s ambitions to attract high-quality investment, the Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden urged more focus on accelerating administrative reforms, particularly in energy and green infrastructure, along with the development of specialised industrial zones for green and digital investments.

Investment promotion targeting Nordic markets should also be enhanced, while improving regulatory frameworks for ESG and carbon taxation will also be critical.

FDI maintains strong momentum

Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow into Viet Nam continues to show robust growth, reflecting the strong confidence of international investors in the country’s stable business environment and long-term development potential, despite complex global economic fluctuations.

Bac Ninh's FDI atraction sees two-fold rise in four month

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FDI inflow into Vietnam surges by nearly 40% in four months

While newly-registered capital declined by 23.8% to 5.59 billion USD, additional capital injections into existing projects increased nearly 3.9 times to 6.4 billion USD. Capital contributions and share purchases in the four months reached 1.83 billion USD, or a 2.1-fold increase year-on-year.

 

FDI inflow into Vietnam rises 34.7% in Q1

Total registered foreign direct investment (FDI) into Vietnam hit nearly 10.98 billion USD in the first quarter of 2025, up 34.7% compared to the same period last year, reported the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) under the Ministry of Finance.

Total registered FDI in Vietnam expands by 35.5% in January-February

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnam reached 6.9 billion USD in the first two months of 2025, marking a 35.5% year-on-year surge, according to the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Finance.

 

Criteria for evaluation of FDI efficiency in Vietnam issued

These criteria assess the impact of foreign investment on economic development, considering factors such as capital, growth, operational performance, technology, tax contributions, spillover effects, and links to domestic enterprises.