Mx climbs to 11th place in global FDI ranking

Mexico advanced one position in the global ranking of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), moving to 11th place in 2024 from the 12th place it held the previous year, according to the World Investment Report 2025 prepared by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the UN agency responsible for analyzing and tracking global investment, trade, and development trends. Mexico’s progress occurred in an environment of widespread weakness in international capital flows.

According to the UNCTAD report, Mexico attracted $37 billion in FDI during 2024, an amount that allowed it to climb one spot on the list of the world’s top 20 recipient countries of investment. This performance is particularly relevant considering that, globally, foreign investment flows recorded a real decline of 11%, reflecting a cautious environment for investors.

Mexico’s rise contrasts with the performance of other developing economies that, while remaining within the top 20, saw declines in their investment inflows, creating space for Mexico’s relative advancement within the ranking.

The report indicates that against the backdrop of global value chain restructuring and the relocation of production processes, manufacturing and logistics are the primary drivers of investment into Mexico. Within Latin America and the Caribbean, where total FDI fell by 12%, Mexico’s performance partially diverged from the regional trend.

As one of the countries driving investment growth in Central America, a region that reported a 4% increase, Mexico helped offset the contraction in mergers and acquisitions investment affected by specific large-scale transactions and reinforced the country’s profile as a destination for long-term productive investment.

Mexico’s advancement in the ranking is also explained by its participation in the digital economy. UNCTAD notes that the country ranks among the top digital investment destinations in Latin America, alongside Brazil, and highlights that only Mexico and the United States reported FDI flows in data processing, hosting, and related activities.

Between 2020 and 2024, Mexico remained within the group of emerging economies that concentrated the majority of digital greenfield projects, reinforcing its position as a regional platform for technological infrastructure and digital services.

Mexico’s rise from 12th to 11th place in the global FDI ranking reflects a relative improvement in its performance compared to other investment destinations, even within an international environment characterized by economic and financial uncertainty. The report underscores that capital flows continue to be directed towards economies with industrial scale, logistical connectivity, and proximity to end markets, factors that continue to favor the country.

If these conditions are maintained, Mexico could sustain or improve its position in the global ranking in the coming years, to the extent that it continues to capitalize on the transformation of production chains and the expansion of the digital economy.

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