Two-way investment brief

Australia–United States

At the end of 2025, investors from United States held A$258 bn of direct investment in Australia, making it Australia’s 1st-largest source of foreign direct investment (19.8% of the total). That stock rose 10.0% over the year and has grown 3.3% a year on average over the past decade. Australian direct investment in United States was A$247 bn — the 1st-largest destination for Australian direct investment abroad. Direct investment is broadly balanced in both directions. United States was Australia’s 2nd-largest two-way trading partner in 2025 (goods and services, A$156 bn; 12.0% of Australia’s trade). Globally, United States was the world’s 1st-largest source of FDI outflows in 2024 ($322 bn, World Bank).

Data (CSV)United States global profile

United States direct investment in Australia

A$258 bn

+10.0%vs 20241st largest

Total United States investment in Australia

A$1.36 tn

1st largest · 26.6%

Australian direct investment in United States

A$247 bn

−1.1%vs 20241st largest destination

Total Australian investment in United States

A$1.64 tn

Levels at 31 Dec 2025

Trend

Direct investment in both directions

Direct investment levels, Australia–United States

United States in Australia
Australia in United States

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

United States’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

United States → Australia
Australia → United States

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

Trade relationship

Australia–United States 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$156 bn

2nd largest partner · 12.0%

Goods exports to United States, 2025

A$40.2 bn

12 months to July 2026: A$27.6 bn

Goods imports from United States, 2025

A$50.7 bn

12 months to July 2026: A$50.2 bn

Services trade, 2025

A$65.4 bn

Exports A$19.4 bn · imports A$46.0 bn

Goods trade

Calendar years, A$ (ABS merchandise trade)

Exports to United States
Imports from United States

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 United States
Imports from United States

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

Economic outlook

United States’s economy

IMF World Economic Outlook	2024	2025	2026forecast	2027forecast	2028forecast
Real GDP growth	2.8%	2.1%	2.3%	2.1%	2.1%
Inflation	3.0%	2.7%	3.2%	2.1%	2.2%
Unemployment rate	4.0%	4.3%	4.4%	4.2%	4.1%
Current account, % GDP	−4.0%	−3.6%	−3.7%	−3.6%	−3.6%
Fiscal balance, % GDP	−7.9%	−6.8%	−7.5%	−7.4%	−7.6%
Government gross debt, % GDP	122.3%	123.9%	125.8%	128.6%	132.1%

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 United States: A$13.5 bn
New Australian FDI in United States: A$1.3 bn
Direct investment income paid to investors: A$19.9 bn
Direct investment income earned by Australians: A$4.0 bn

United States globally (World Bank)

FDI outflows, 2024: $322 bn · 1st
FDI inflows, 2025: $401 bn
GDP, 2025: $30.77 tn
Region · income: North America · 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.