Hanoi, October 5, 2026 – The Europe Today: Hànội attracted an estimated US$4.07 billion in foreign investment during the first nine months of 2026, reaching 90.4 per cent of the city’s full-year target, according to data from the Hànội Department of Finance.
The total investment comprised approximately $676 million in newly registered capital, $691 million in additional capital for existing projects, and $2.7 billion from foreign investors’ capital contributions and share purchases.
During the January-September period, the capital city licensed 500 new foreign-invested projects, with registered capital of $676 million. The number of newly licensed projects increased by 78 per cent year-on-year, while their registered capital rose by 138 per cent compared with the same period in 2025.
In September alone, Hànội licensed 50 new foreign-invested projects with total registered capital of $103.93 million, representing a 208 per cent increase in the number of projects and an approximately 10.1-fold increase in capital compared with September 2025.
The surge in September was largely driven by two real estate projects, which together accounted for $93.7 million, or around 90 per cent of the month’s newly registered capital.
Foreign investors also increased investment in existing projects. During the first nine months, 113 operating projects registered additional capital totalling $691 million. In September, 16 existing projects increased their investment by $198 million, including three processing and manufacturing projects worth a combined $189 million.
Capital contributions and share purchases remained the largest component of Hà Nội’s foreign investment inflows. A total of 281 such transactions worth $2.7 billion were recorded through September, accounting for approximately 66.4 per cent of the city’s total foreign investment attracted during the period.
Foreign investment disbursement also increased, reaching an estimated $46 million in September, nearly 2.9 times the amount recorded during the same month last year. Cumulative disbursement for January-September stood at approximately $1.36 billion, equivalent to 84.9 per cent of the city’s annual target of $1.6 billion.
Professional, scientific and technical activities received the largest share of foreign investment, attracting $2.24 billion, or 55.2 per cent of the total. Real estate ranked second with $394 million, followed by information and communications with $352 million, wholesale and retail trade with $247 million, manufacturing and processing with $232 million, and water supply and waste treatment with $220 million.
The investment structure indicates a growing shift towards high technology, innovation, digital services and research and development, alongside a gradual decline in the share of land- and labour-intensive projects, in line with Hà Nội’s strategy of attracting higher-quality foreign investment.
Despite the strong inflows, the city continues to face challenges in attracting large-scale high-tech projects. Limited availability of development-ready land and difficulties related to land access outside industrial and high-tech zones remain among the key constraints.
Authorities are therefore seeking stronger mechanisms to facilitate foreign investors’ access to land and enhance coordination among relevant agencies to attract major global technology companies.
Hà Nội has set a target of attracting approximately $4.5 billion in foreign investment in 2026, nearly double the annual average of $2-$2.2 billion recorded in previous years. With $4.07 billion already attracted by the end of September, the city needs approximately $433 million more in the final quarter to reach its annual target.
The city expects the services sector to attract an additional $250-$300 million during the final three months of the year, while high-tech projects in high-tech zones and industrial parks are targeted to bring in at least $500 million. Authorities said the annual target remains achievable, with the completion of procedures for submitted land-use projects expected to play an important role.
