The Chilean Central Bank released foreign direct investment (FDI) figures for the first month of 2026. The institution reported a net inflow of US$1.8 billion, representing a 164% increase from January 2025, when FDI was US$688 million.
According to InvestChile’s analysis, the figure is within the expected range, given that the average over the past five years has been US$1.6 billion.
Reinvested earnings made up the largest part of January’s FDI flow at US$1.5 billion. Shares in equity capital totaled US$272 million, while debt instruments came in at US$54 million.
InvestChile noted that this figure is just for the first month of the year and should not be used as a basis for annual flow projections.
InvestChile Director Karla Flores stated that January’s FDI figures should be viewed cautiously, especially given the unstable international environment. “Despite the external uncertainty that has been increasing in recent months, Chile has continued to attract foreign investment, as reflected in January’s figures, and that is undeniably good news. However, we must not lose sight of the international situation, which may cause companies to become more cautious about investing, leading to a slowdown in Chile’s FDI flows,” she said. “At InvestChile, we will keep working to attract the investment the country needs, in line with its development priorities,” concluded Flores.
