El Salvador has solidified its position as a primary destination for international capital, recording a net inflow of $474.8 million in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) throughout 2025. This surge in interest from the United States, Mexico, and South Korea highlights a growing global confidence. According to the Central Reserve Bank (BCR), this influx is driven by new equity and reinvested earnings, signaling that transnational corporations are not just arriving, but staying.
The fiscal year reached a historic milestone as foreign-invested firms achieved $1,642.8 million in profits, a 16.8% increase over the previous year. This resulted in a 13.2% profitability rate, the highest in five years. The results regarding the profitability of these investments constitute a success for companies with foreign capital in El Salvador and a sign of the confidence that the country offers for doing business, the BCR report stated.
The service sector emerged as the powerhouse of this growth, capturing 56% of the annual flow. This expansion was fueled largely by real estate and a booming hospitality industry linked to the country’s strengthening tourism profile. Close behind, the financial and insurance sectors maintained steady upward movement, bolstered by aggressive reinvestment strategies from firms looking to capitalize on El Salvador’s modernized regulatory landscape.
Logistics and infrastructure also saw a transformation, with the transportation sector increasing its net flow by $106.4 million. This was propelled by a 111% jump in storage activities and a significant recovery in air transport. Furthermore, the agricultural sector grew by an impressive 457% due to new investments in aquaculture, proving that the nation’s diversification strategy is successfully attracting niche global markets.
Beyond services, the manufacturing industry attracted $139.7 million, particularly in beverages, chemicals, and machinery. This shift indicates a move toward more sophisticated industrial processes and technological integration. As the BCR highlighted, this suggests that foreign investors continue to finance productive modernization processes that contain more technological components, cementing El Salvador’s reputation as a competitive hub for high-value production.