According to preliminary figures, foreign direct investment (FDI) closed 2025 at US$5,032.3 million, representing an increase of US$509.1 million (11.3%) compared to 2024, as reported by the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic (BCRD).
Half of total FDI inflows were directed to the tourism (26.3%) and energy (23.8%) sectors.
Notably, the energy sector has experienced significant growth, expanding its share of total FDI from 9.2% in 2019 to 23.8% by the end of 2025, mainly driven by incentives granted by the Dominican Government to promote renewable energy. Another relevant sector for FDI has been real estate, whose growth is closely linked to the expansion of tourism in the country.
The report further notes that, in addition to the increase in FDI inflows (11.3%) and remittances (10.3%), the remaining external sector variables also posted a favorable performance during 2025.
These flows demonstrate the Dominican Republic’s resilience in attracting foreign direct investment, even in an international environment characterized by uncertainty.
“This capacity reflects the strength of the country’s fundamentals, which combine sustained social stability, economic and political stability, and legal certainty, together with an attractive business environment supported by fiscal incentive programs, modern infrastructure and a high-level telecommunications system, as well as firm government support for foreign investment,” stated the BCRD.
Exports
Total exports reached US$15,930.6 million, representing a 14.4% increase compared to 2024.
Among these, gold exports stood out, reaching US$2,413.2 million, an increase of US$913.3 million (60.9%) compared to 2024, driven by improvements in production and historically high international gold prices.
Exports from free trade zones totaled US$8,548.6 million, reflecting a 0.6% year-on-year increase.
Likewise, the BCRD highlighted that tourism revenues at the close of 2025 amounted to US$11,318.5 million, an increase of US$346.1 million (3.2%) over 2024. This performance was mainly driven by the rise in visitor arrivals during 2025, which reached 11.6 million.
According to these preliminary figures, foreign currency inflows generated by FDI, remittances, tourism, exports of goods and other services exceeded US$47.3 billion in 2025, an increase of approximately US$3.4 billion compared to 2024, contributing to the relative stability of the exchange rate.
The ECLAC report
When presenting its 2025 foreign direct investment report last July, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) highlighted that the Dominican Republic has recorded four consecutive years of FDI inflows exceeding US$4.0 billion annually, underscoring its strong potential.
During the conference, José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, in response to four questions from Listín Diario, stated that the Dominican Republic has now achieved four consecutive years with more than US$4.0 billion in annual FDI inflows. This positions the country as one of the most attractive and successful destinations in terms of investor confidence and as part of a virtuous cycle with significant opportunities to translate these flows into greater diversification and quality employment.
He explained that, for these inflows to contribute effectively to local development, productive development policies and human talent development policies are required.
“In the end, it is about people and quality employment. What is most attractive are the capabilities that people have to work in relatively sophisticated industries,” he stated.
Salazar-Xirinachs suggested that the country focus on three key pillars: promoting productive linkages and technology transfer, using incentives strategically, and strengthening institutional capacity.
In its 2025 edition of the annual report Foreign Direct Investment in Latin America and the Caribbean, in a context of international uncertainty and heightened geopolitical tensions, ECLAC notes that FDI aligned with productive development policies could help address the challenges facing the region.
The report identifies three development traps: one related to low capacity for economic growth; another associated with high inequality, low social mobility and weak social cohesion; and a third linked to limited institutional capacity and ineffective governance.
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