- Wales landed 75 foreign investment projects in the past year
- Direct foreign investment has created and protected over 5,500 jobs
- Wales punching above its weight for the second year in a row
Statistics released today (23 June) by the UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade show that Wales continues to successfully attract foreign investors.
In 2025-26 saw the biggest increase in foreign investment since 2020-21. Wales attracted 75 foreign investment projects, creating over 1,500 jobs and protecting thousands more.
For the second year in a row the UK Government has overseen an increase in the number of foreign investments coming to Wales, alongside a rise in the number of jobs created or protected.
The UK Government is backing Wales by investing in two AI Growth Zones, two Investment Zones for North and South Wales, and the Anglesey and Celtic Freeports. Taken together these projects are supported by over £380 million in UK Government funding and are designed to build on Wales’s strengths in advanced manufacturing, clean energy and life sciences.
The recently-signed Defence Growth Deal for Wales, backed by a further £50 million of UK Government funding, also cements Wales as a leader in autonomous defence technology.
Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:
These latest figures show that Wales is punching above its weight. The UK Government is backing the industries of the future in Wales and creating the right conditions to attract yet more investment.
This has been a driving motivation behind our new initiative, Brand Wales, which is designed to attract inward investment and promote Wales as a brilliant place to do business.
We want to ensure that the economic opportunities offered by Wales sit at the forefront of the minds of global investors.
The full statistical release from the Department for Business and Trade can be found here: DBT inward investment results 2025 to 2026 (web version) – GOV.UK