At a glance
- Foreign direct investment into Albania was €741 million in April–June 2026, up 86% from €398 million a year earlier, Bank of Albania data show.
- It was the largest quarterly inflow in the bank's balance-of-payments series, which starts in 2008.
- Real estate activities received €438 million, about 59% of the quarter's total.
- First-half FDI totalled €1.144 billion, about 50% more than in January–June 2025.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) into Albania reached €741 million in the second quarter of 2026, according to balance-of-payments data published by the Bank of Albania on 10 September. That is 86% more than the €398 million recorded in the same quarter of 2025, and the largest quarterly inflow in the central bank's series, which goes back to 2008. The previous high was €447 million, in the third quarter of 2025.
Across the first half of the year, FDI totalled €1.144 billion, compared with €759 million in January–June 2025, a rise of about 50%.
Quarter by quarter
| Quarter | Total FDI inflow (€ million) | Of which real estate (€ million) |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 2025 | 361 | 104 |
| Q2 2025 | 398 | 149 |
| Q3 2025 | 447 | 150 |
| Q4 2025 | 429 | 158 |
| Q1 2026 | 403 | 172 |
| Q2 2026 | 741 | 438 |
Source: Bank of Albania. The figures are inflows of direct investment into Albania (direct investment liabilities in the balance of payments).
Driven by real estate
Most of the jump came from new equity. Equity investment rose to €497 million from €199 million a year earlier, while reinvested earnings were broadly unchanged at €207 million. The bank's breakdown by economic activity, published on 25 September, shows that real estate activities received €438 million in the quarter, about 59% of the total and nearly three times the €149 million of a year earlier. Financial and insurance activities came next, with €115 million.
Real estate has drawn more foreign direct investment than any other sector in every year since 2022, according to the bank's figures. The stock of foreign direct investment in Albanian real estate reached €3.33 billion at the end of June 2026, up from €2.63 billion at the end of 2025 and €2.04 billion at the end of 2024.
Because one sector accounts for most of the record, a single strong quarter is not a reliable guide to future inflows. For the state of the housing market itself, see our report on house prices in the first half of 2026 and our guide to buying property in Albania.
Sources
- Bank of Albania: Main data for balance of payments (quarterly, € million), 2026-09-10
- Bank of Albania: Quarterly flow of direct investment liabilities by economic activity, 2026-09-25
- Bank of Albania: Quarterly stock of direct investment liabilities by economic activity, 2026-09-25
- Bank of Albania: Statistical release calendar 2026 (PDF)
- inAlbania: Foreign direct investment rises 50% to €1.14 billion in six months, 2026-09-10