Ecuador records surge in Q1 2026 foreign direct investment

Ecuador attracted USD 431.5 million in foreign direct investment (FDI) from January to March 2026, an 85.7 % increase over the same period in 2025 and the highest first‑quarter inflow since 2008. The rise was driven largely by reinvested earnings, with USD 246.7 million coming from profit‑reinvestment, USD 138.8 million from equity stakes and USD 46 million from other capital.

Singapore (USD 105.1 million) and Peru (USD 101.6 million) were the top source countries. Investment was spread across commerce, agriculture, manufacturing and services. Analysts linked the jump to a sharp fall in Ecuador’s sovereign risk premium, making the market more attractive to overseas investors, though they note challenges in attracting fresh capital to sectors such as hydrocarbons, mining and energy.

The Central Bank highlighted that while the figures signal a robust recovery, the growth partly reflects methodological accounting for reinvested profits rather than entirely new foreign capital.