Spain's foreign investment jumps 22.6% to €6.6 bn in Q1 2026

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Spain increased 22.6% year‑on‑year to €6.567 billion in the first quarter of 2026, according to the Registro de Inversiones Extranjeras. The United States remained the top investor, contributing 21.4% of the total, while the United Kingdom and France each roughly doubled their inflows compared with the same period a year earlier. South Korea entered the rankings as the fourth‑largest investor.

The Madrid region received more than half of all inbound capital (€3.367 bn), followed by Catalonia (€1.541 bn) and other autonomous communities. At the same time, Spanish outbound investment fell sharply, dropping 60.9% to €2.915 bn, although net investment abroad doubled on a year‑on‑year basis.

A survey of Italian firms operating in Spain showed strong confidence: 71% plan to raise investment and hiring in 2026, 94% consider Spain a strategic market and 93% expect to stay for at least five years. Financial services accounted for 33% of foreign inflows, food industry 19% and telecommunications 15%.

Overall, the data point to sustained confidence from overseas investors despite a backdrop of global geopolitical and economic uncertainty.