The Central Bank of the Dominican Republic (BCRD) reported that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) reached $1.53 billion in the first quarter of 2026. This represents an increase of US$92.2 million, or 6.4%, compared to the same (January to March) period in 2025. The institution highlighted that US$1.04 billion, more than two-thirds of these flows, consisted of new capital injections from investors. This growth is being highlighted as a sign of continued investor confidence despite sectoral challenges.
These figures reflect the Dominican Republic’s resilience in attracting FDI despite global geopolitical tensions and “fragmentation trends” recently noted by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in its global investment monitor. The BCRD attributes this steady inflow to solid internal fundamentals, including sustained social peace, economic and political stability, legal certainty, tax incentives, modern infrastructure, advanced telecommunications, and active government support.
Sectoral distribution and growth
The sectoral analysis shows that 50% of FDI inflows were concentrated in tourism (22.5%) and energy (22.2%) sectors. The mining sector, bolstered by increased production and favorable international prices, accounted for 17.8% of the total. Additionally, real estate development contributed 14.8%, a sector whose expansion is closely linked to the country’s tourism growth.
Looking ahead, the BCRD expects FDI flows to reach approximately US$5.2 billion by the end of 2026, despite the downward risks identified by UNCTAD.
The Central Bank reports on strong external sector performance. The entry of hard currency has compensated somewhat for the impact the Iran conflict has had on local fuel prices. Beyond FDI, other external sector variables showed favorable performance between January and March 2026:
• Total exports: Reached US$4.19 billion, a 17.5% increase over Q1 2025.
• Gold exports: Surged to US$738.1 million—an additional US$352.5 million (91.4%)—driven by production improvements and all-time high international mineral prices.
• Free zone exports: Totaled US$2.07 billion, a year-on-year increase of 4.6%.
• Remittances: Registered a growth of 1.9%.
Tourism and foreign exchange
Tourism revenues for the first quarter of 2026 reached US$3.90 billion, an increase of US$656.0 million (20.2%) compared to the same period in 2025. This growth was fueled by visitor arrivals exceeding 3,350,000 during the three-month period.
In total, foreign exchange earnings from FDI, remittances, tourism, and goods/services exports surpassed US$13.40 billion between January and March 2026. This represents an increase of approximately US$1.40 billion over Q1 2025, significantly contributing to the relative stability of the exchange rate.
The Central Bank reaffirmed its commitment to monitoring the current economic environment and taking necessary measures to mitigate the impact of a challenging international landscape, ensuring price and currency market stability.
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Central Bank
6 May 2026