2025 Foreign Investment in Germany: China Becomes Top Investor

Official German statistics indicate that the number of foreign investment projects in Germany in 2025 fell to its lowest level in years. By source country, China surpassed the US to become the largest investor in Germany. According to data from Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI), under the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, there were 1,564 new and expanded foreign investment projects in Germany in 2025, a 9.3% decrease from 2024. US corporate investment dropped to 206 projects, the lowest since 2016. Meanwhile, investment projects from China reached 228, an increase of 14.6% year-on-year, making China the top source of new investment projects. Chinese investors have shown great interest in electronics, automation, logistics, energy, and digitalization, with over one-fifth of projects directed toward manufacturing or R&D. GTAI reports that Chinese firms are increasingly engaging in 'greenfield investment' and expanding into tech-intensive services like AI and software development. However, in terms of total investment value, China's cumulative direct investment in Germany is approximately 11 billion euros, significantly lower than the 164 billion euros from the US.