Summary: Mexico attracted US$43.2 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2025, ranking second in Latin America and accounting with Brazil for 62% of regional inflows, reinforcing its role as a strategic manufacturing and nearshoring hub despite global economic uncertainty. Strong investment in manufacturing, energy, industrial infrastructure and logistics, alongside continued project announcements across key industrial states, supports Mexico’s competitiveness within North American supply chains. 

 

 

Mexico attracted US$43.2 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2025, making it the second-largest recipient of foreign capital in Latin America and the Caribbean behind Brazil, according to a new report from the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

The report, Foreign Direct Investment in Latin America and the Caribbean 2026: Navigating the New Global Context, shows that Mexico received US$43.221 billion in FDI during 2025, representing the country’s third-highest annual inflow since 1990 despite a year-over-year decline compared to 2024.

Together, Brazil and Mexico accounted for 62% of all foreign direct investment entering Latin America and the Caribbean during the year, underscoring the continued concentration of capital in the region’s two largest economies. 

Mexico Remains a Leading Investment Destination

According to ECLAC, Mexico’s performance marked its third-highest level of foreign investment since records began in 1990, highlighting the country’s resilience amid a challenging international economic environment.

Despite softer inflows compared to the previous year, Mexico continues to demonstrate its ability to attract significant levels of international capital. The latest figures reinforce the country’s role as one of the region’s most important investment destinations, supported by its manufacturing base, export capacity and integration into North American supply chains.

Brazil led the region with US$74.091 billion in FDI, while Mexico followed with US$43.221 billion. Chile ranked third with US$14.152 billion, followed by Peru with US$11.794 billion and Colombia with US$11.469 billion.

Guyana accounted for approximately 5% of regional FDI inflows, while Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic each represented about 3% of the total.

The report highlights Mexico’s investment performance within a broader regional context in which multinational companies continue to diversify production networks and strengthen supply chains across the Americas.

ECLAC noted that Brazil approached the historically high FDI levels recorded during the 2010s, while Mexico maintained one of the strongest foreign investment performances of recent decades.

The organization also clarified that Mexico’s figures were provided by the Bank of Mexico using the methodology established under the sixth edition of the Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual (BPM6). As a result, the data may differ from statistics published by Mexico’s Ministry of Economy, which uses a different statistical methodology.

ECLAC emphasized that the 2025 figures remain preliminary and could be revised by national authorities in future updates. 

States Continue to Build on National Momentum

The report was released against a backdrop of heightened global economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and shifting investment patterns that continue to reshape international capital flows.

While national FDI remained among the highest in Latin America, several Mexican states also reported strong investment performance, reflecting continued expansion in manufacturing, energy and industrial infrastructure.

Jalisco attracted US$1.26 billion in foreign direct investment during 2025, representing a 14.2% annual increase and exceeding the national growth rate. New investment projects reached US$382 million, supported by nearshoring trends and continued expansion in advanced manufacturing, reported MBN. 

Manufacturing remained the state’s largest investment sector, while reinvested earnings rose 45% year over year, signaling continued confidence among companies already operating in the state. The United States, Germany and Japan ranked among Jalisco’s leading sources of foreign investment.

Nationally, investment announcements also remained strong entering 2026. During January and February, announced and inaugurated projects totaled approximately US$5.84 billion across sectors including energy, automotive manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, industrial parks, food processing and advanced manufacturing.

Projects announced during the first two months of the year were concentrated in Aguascalientes, Queretaro, Guanajuato, Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, Michoacan and Zacatecas, highlighting continued industrial expansion in northern Mexico and the Bajío region, reported MBN. 

Among the largest projects, ESENTIA announced a US$680 million energy investment in Aguascalientes, while Thor Urbana unveiled plans to invest US$3.4 billion in industrial park developments in Nuevo Leon, reinforcing Mexico’s position as a strategic destination for manufacturing and logistics investment.

Although ECLAC expects global uncertainty to remain a key challenge for investors, the combination of sustained foreign capital inflows, expanding industrial capacity and continued project announcements suggests Mexico will remain one of Latin America’s leading destinations for international investment.