Map Key · 14 de outubro de 2026
Foreign direct investment (FDI)
Foreign direct investment, or FDI, is capital that a company or investor from one country places in operations in another, with the intent of lasting control or influence, such as a factory, a power park or a data center.
How it is measured
By IMF and OECD criteria, an investment is direct when the investor holds 10% or more of the voting power of the company in the other country. Below that it is portfolio investment: shares and bonds without control or lasting influence.
How it reaches a territory
- The investor identifies opportunities and compares countries and regions.
- Visits sites and talks to governments and companies.
- Negotiates location, infrastructure and incentives.
- Sets up and starts operating.
- Grows, if well served.
The global picture
UNCTAD reported in its World Investment Report 2026 that global investment rose 6% to US$ 1.6 trillion, with development gains still uneven across countries.
The view from next door. FDI arrives at an address. It is the city hall, the technical school, the river and the road at that address that absorb the impact. A good attraction project thinks about the day after the opening.
Related terms
Ler em português: Investimento Estrangeiro Direto (FDI)
Know someone who should read this?
Get Vértice, ISBR’s weekly
Five minutes on capital, companies and territories. In Portuguese, every Tuesday.