Two-way investment brief

Australia–Germany

At the end of 2025, investors from Germany held A$25.0 bn of direct investment in Australia, making it Australia’s 11th-largest source of foreign direct investment (1.9% of the total). That stock rose 7.3% over the year and has grown 3.9% a year on average over the past decade. Australian direct investment in Germany was A$11.7 bn — the 7th-largest destination for Australian direct investment abroad. The relationship is weighted towards Germany investing in Australia (2.1× Australia’s direct investment there). Germany was Australia’s 13th-largest two-way trading partner in 2025 (goods and services, A$28.8 bn; 2.2% of Australia’s trade). Globally, Germany was the world’s 6th-largest source of FDI outflows in 2024 ($87.0 bn, World Bank).

Data (CSV)Germany global profile

Germany direct investment in Australia

A$25.0 bn

+7.3%vs 202411th largest

Total Germany investment in Australia

A$64.8 bn

14th largest · 1.3%

Australian direct investment in Germany

A$11.7 bn

−18.8%vs 20247th largest destination

Total Australian investment in Germany

A$60.4 bn

Levels at 31 Dec 2025

Trend

Direct investment in both directions

Direct investment levels, Australia–Germany

Germany in Australia
Australia in Germany

Source: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (5352.0).

Germany’s investment in Australia by type

Direct investment
Portfolio investment
Other investment

Source: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (5352.0).

Annual direct investment flows

Net transactions during the year; negative = net disinvestment

Germany → Australia
Australia → Germany

Source: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (5352.0).

Trade relationship

Australia–Germany trade

Investment and trade move together: the partners that invest most in Australia are usually major trading partners too. Goods trade is recorded monthly (latest: July 2026); services annually.

Two-way trade, 2025

A$28.8 bn

13th largest partner · 2.2%

Goods exports to Germany, 2025

A$3.9 bn

12 months to July 2026: A$4.1 bn

Goods imports from Germany, 2025

A$17.6 bn

12 months to July 2026: A$17.3 bn

Services trade, 2025

A$7.3 bn

Exports A$2.5 bn · imports A$4.8 bn

Goods trade

Calendar years, A$ (ABS merchandise trade)

Exports to Germany
Imports from Germany

Source: ABS, International Merchandise Trade (MERCH_EXP / MERCH_IMP), summed to calendar years.

Services trade

Calendar years, A$ (ABS international trade in services by country)

Exports to Germany
Imports from Germany

Source: ABS, International Trade in Services by Country, calendar years.

Economic outlook

Germany’s economy

IMF World Economic Outlook	2024	2025	2026forecast	2027forecast	2028forecast
Real GDP growth	−0.5%	0.2%	0.8%	1.2%	1.2%
Inflation	2.5%	2.3%	2.7%	2.3%	2.0%
Unemployment rate	3.4%	3.8%	3.9%	3.5%	3.2%
Current account, % GDP	5.8%	4.4%	3.9%	3.8%	3.8%
Fiscal balance, % GDP	−2.7%	−2.7%	−3.8%	−4.2%	−4.1%
Government gross debt, % GDP	62.2%	62.9%	64.6%	66.5%	68.4%

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook via the IMF DataMapper API. Years from 2026 are IMF projections; recent years may be estimates and are revised in each WEO round (April and October).

2025 at a glance

New FDI from Germany: —
New Australian FDI in Germany: A$812 m
Direct investment income paid to investors: A$1.0 bn
Direct investment income earned by Australians: —

Germany globally (World Bank)

FDI outflows, 2024: $87.0 bn · 6th
FDI inflows, 2025: $95.2 bn
GDP, 2025: $5.05 tn
Region · income: Europe & Central Asia · High income

Regulatory openness (OECD FDIRRI)

OECD index data loading — see FDI openness

Sources: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (cat. 5352.0), 2025 release, released 2026-05-06 — levels at 31 December and calendar-year flows and income, A$ millions, immediate counterparty basis (investment routed via third economies is attributed to the intermediate economy). World Bank WDI (US$). OECD FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index. np = not published for confidentiality; included in totalsPrepared independently by FDIstats from public statistics; not an Australian Government publication and not investment advice. For foreign investment rules, see the Treasury and FIRB.