On August 24, 2026, the Ministry of Economy (Secretaría de Economía) reported that Mexico received 34,968 million dollars in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first half of the year, the highest figure for a comparable period. That is 2.1% growth over the 34,265 million recorded in the same period of 2025. Behind the record, however, there is a detail worth reading carefully: almost all of the money came from companies that were already in Mexico.

What the numbers say

Based on the official data released by the Ministry, FDI in the first half broke down as follows:

  • Reinvested earnings: 30,957 million dollars, 88.5% of the total.
  • New investments: 2,726 million dollars, 7.8% of the total.
  • Intercompany accounts: 1,285 million dollars, 3.7% of the total.

New investments fell 13.43% compared with 3,149 million in the first half of 2025. In the second quarter alone, total FDI was 10,464 million dollars, 3.5% less than a year earlier; the Ministry of Economy attributed the drop to atypical growth in the same quarter of 2025 and said it does not represent a change in trend. Some analyses, such as the one published by El CEO, link the weakness in new capital to trade uncertainty surrounding the review of the trade agreement with the United States and Canada.

By origin, the United States contributed 16,871 million dollars, 48.2% of the total. By sector, manufacturing drew 13,482 million and financial and insurance services 10,150 million. By state, Mexico City received 16,862 million and Nuevo León 3,712 million.

What it means for your company

The fact that most FDI is reinvestment has a practical reading: thousands of Mexican companies with foreign shareholders are deciding to keep their earnings in Mexico to grow. Each of those decisions requires corporate formalities and regulatory filings that are often neglected.

1. Corporate formalities

Reinvestment does not happen only in the accounting records. It usually requires the shareholders' meeting to approve the financial statements, decide how to allocate the results and, where applicable, approve a capital increase. Those resolutions must be recorded in minutes, reflected in the corporate books and, when required, formalized before a notary.

2. National Foreign Investment Registry (RNIE)

Mexican companies with foreign participation in their capital must register with the RNIE. The application is filed within 40 business days after the foreign investment enters the capital stock. Once registered, they must comply with periodic obligations:

  • Quarterly notices: within 10 business days after the close of each quarter, when there are relevant changes, for example changes in capital or in related party accounts exceeding 20 million pesos, or changes in corporate name, tax domicile or business activity.
  • Annual economic report: when assets, liabilities, revenue, costs or expenses equal or exceed 110 million pesos. Companies whose name begins with A through J file it in April, and those from K through Z in May.

Since January 1, 2025, the RNIE has operated through a digital system, so the company should be clear about who has access and who tracks the deadlines.

3. New investment projects

If your company will receive foreign capital for the first time, planning should begin before the first deposit: choosing the right type of entity, checking whether the activity has any restriction under the Foreign Investment Law, preparing the bylaws and the shareholders' agreement, and scheduling the RNIE registration.

The FDI record is built on reinvestment. For each company, that translates into minutes, capital increases and filings that must be kept current.

What to do now

  1. Confirm whether your company has foreign shareholders and whether it is registered with the RNIE with updated information.
  2. Check whether in 2026 there were capital increases, loans from the parent company or changes of domicile that should have been reported in the corresponding quarter.
  3. Verify that the shareholders' meeting minutes approving earnings and reinvestments are signed and transcribed into the books.
  4. If you plan to receive new investment before year end, define the structure and the registration timeline now.
CounselHub recommendation: run a quick corporate audit before the close of 2026. Reviewing books, minutes, powers of attorney and RNIE certificates takes only a few weeks and prevents contingencies right when an investor, a bank or a buyer asks for the information in a financing or sale process.