New data released by the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic, analyzed and published by the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, confirms a notable shift in the Caribbean nation’s foreign direct investment landscape: Spain has overtaken the United States to claim the position of the largest single source of inbound FDI for the previous year.
Spain’s total FDI contribution to the Dominican Republic hit US$1.086 billion in the reporting period, accounting for 21.5% of all foreign capital flowing into the country that year. The United States, long a dominant investment partner for the Dominican Republic, landed in second place with a total inbound investment of US$1.042 billion, a figure just marginally below Spain’s total.
Overall, the Dominican Republic saw a healthy expansion in total foreign direct investment last year, with aggregate inflows reaching US$5.03 billion. This represents an 11.3% year-over-year increase compared to the prior year, signaling growing international confidence in the Caribbean nation’s economic stability and growth potential.
Government officials and business leaders from both countries point to Spain’s deliberate, long-term investment strategy as the core driver of its top position. For years, Spanish investors have prioritized deepening economic ties with the Dominican Republic, focusing commitments on high-impact sectors that drive sustained national growth.
The bulk of Spanish investment is concentrated in two key areas: tourism, a foundational pillar of the Dominican Republic’s economy, and renewable energy, a fast-growing sector that supports the country’s decarbonization and energy independence goals. Beyond these core areas, Spanish investors are increasingly active in real estate development, infrastructure construction, financial services, and bilateral trade, spreading their impact across multiple layers of the domestic economy.
Other major international investors in the Dominican Republic include Italy, Panama, and Mexico, but all three recorded far lower FDI volumes than either Spain or the United States. This gap underscores the outsized influence Spain now holds in supporting the Dominican Republic’s ongoing economic modernization and expansion, as bilateral economic ties continue to deepen year over year.