Cambodia Tops Asia-Pacific in Greenfield FDI Performance Index 2025

By
on
Cambodia Tops Asia-Pacific in Greenfield FDI Performance Index 2025
Cambodia Tops Asia-Pacific in Greenfield FDI Performance Index 2025./B2B Cambodia

fDi Intelligence—a news and foreign direct investment (FDI) publication owned by the Financial Times—has ranked Cambodia first in the Asia-Pacific and ninth globally in the Greenfield FDI Performance Index 2025. With a score of 5, the Kingdom leads regional FDI overachievers, placing ahead of Kyrgyzstan and Singapore, reflecting a strong flow of FDI compared to the size of its economy.

According to fDi Intelligence, Cambodia saw a record number of inbound FDI projects in 2024, with investments made particularly in business services, transportation, consumer products, automotive, and textiles. Growth in FDI projects—up 13.5 per cent year-on-year—outpaced the country’s nominal GDP growth of 9.3 per cent.

On the other hand, fDi Intelligence also highlighted Cambodia’s exposure to trade policy risks. The U.S. initially set a tariff of 49 per cent on Cambodia under so-called “liberation day” measures, which was then later reduced to 36 per cent in July 2025, and finally 19 per cent in August. 

These tariffs, though now reduced, still impact Cambodia’s export-driven sectors, particularly garments. The textile industry provides direct employment to around 925,000 workers, three-quarters of whom are women, according to the Textile, Apparel, Footwear & Travel Goods Association of Cambodia (TAFTAC).

China continues to be Cambodia’s primary FDI and trade partner. In 2024, more than one-third of greenfield projects originated from Chinese investors, mostly in manufacturing. One notable example is BYD’s planned electric vehicle assembly plant in the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone (SEZ), 215 km south-west of Phnom Penh. 

fDi Intelligence also notes that Chinese investment is boosting FDI in other parts of Asia. Kyrgyzstan, for instance, ranked second in Asia for greenfield FDI, with about half of its 15 projects in 2024 backed by Chinese investors. Key initiatives include the development of the Kök-Janggak coal deposit by Kyrgyzkomur and Chinese conglomerate Huaxin, valued at USD 621.2 million.