With 174 semiconductor FDI projects and a total investment of over $11 billion, Vietnam is drawing significant interest from the world’s leading semiconductor corporations. How much have Samsung, Intel, NVIDIA, Qualcomm, etc. invested in Vietnam, and what are their future plans?
In recent years, Vietnam has emerged as a prime destination for semiconductor giants thanks to its strategic location, competitive manufacturing costs, and attractive investment incentives. As of late 2024, Vietnam has recorded 174 FDI projects in the semiconductor sector, with a total investment exceeding $11 billion. Many global semiconductor corporations have been actively expanding their presence in the country, with notable players including NVIDIA, Samsung, Apple, Intel, Qualcomm, and Lam Research.
NVIDIA: Strong investment in artificial intelligence
As the world’s largest semiconductor corporation, NVIDIA invested in Vietnam and has been making strategic moves. On December 5, 2024, founder Jensen Huang signed an agreement with the Vietnamese government to establish an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research and Development Center. Earlier, in April 2024, NVIDIA partnered with FPT to invest $200 million in building an AI Factory in Vietnam. Additionally, NVIDIA announced its acquisition of VinBrain shares from Vingroup, marking a significant step in its strategy to expand operations and investments in Vietnam’s AI sector.
Samsung: The Largest FDI Investor in Vietnam
Samsung is currently the largest FDI investor in Vietnam, with a cumulative investment of $20 billion by the end of 2022. Starting in 2008 with its first mobile phone manufacturing factory in Bac Ninh, Samsung has since expanded its operations to include 6 factories and an R&D center. In 2024, Samsung’s four factories in Vietnam generated $62.5 billion in revenue. During a meeting with the Prime Minister in May 2024, the corporation announced plans to invest an additional $1 billion per year in the coming years. Beyond direct investments, Samsung’s presence has fostered a vast ecosystem of suppliers, with numerous Tier-1 and Tier-2 vendors investing and building their factories in Vietnam.
HAEM VINA factory – A Tier-1 vendor of Samsung in Vietnam. DELCO has partnered multiple times with HAEM VINA as the Design-Build contractor, executing factory construction and fit-out projects in Vietnam.
GSR VINA factory office fit-out project by DELCO as the general contractor. GSR VINA is a major supplier for Samsung in Vietnam.
Apple: Strengthening its supply chain in Vietnam
Apple does not directly manufacture chips, but as a leading chip design brand, it has a significant influence on the semiconductor industry. As of now, 35 Apple suppliers have established manufacturing facilities in Vietnam, making the country the top location in Southeast Asia and the fourth globally in terms of Apple production sites. Several large-scale factories in Vietnam are responsible for assembling key Apple products such as AirPods, iPads, and Apple Watches. According to industry forecasts, by 2025, Vietnam is expected to supply approximately 20% of the global iPad and Apple Watch production, 5% of MacBook production, and 65% of AirPods production
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Since 2019, Apple’s total investment through its supply chain in Vietnam has reached approximately $16 billion. Major suppliers like Luxshare and Foxconn have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in building factories in Bac Giang and Nghe An, playing a crucial role in Apple’s global supply chain.
Intel: The world’s largest chip assembly center in Vietnam
Intel invested in Vietnam in 2006 with the establishment of Intel Products Vietnam factory in Saigon Hi-Tech Park, Ho Chi Minh City, with an initial investment of $1 billion. By the end of 2022, the corporation injected an additional $475 million, bringing its total investment in Vietnam to over $1.5 billion. Currently, Intel continues to expand its investment in Vietnam by upgrading its factory and implementing new technologies. This facility remains Intel’s largest chip assembly and testing center worldwide. As of late 2024, Intel Vietnam has shipped over 3.9 billion units, with projections reaching 4 billion units by April 2025.
Qualcomm: Establishing an R&D center in Hanoi
In 2020, Qualcomm, a leading U.S. smartphone chip manufacturer, opened its research and development (R&D) center in Hanoi—also its first R&D center in Southeast Asia. The company has also partnered with Vietnamese tech firms such as Viettel, VNPT, and Mobifone to design, develop, and manufacture 5G network infrastructure equipment. Additionally, Qualcomm supports 5G technology testing and AI-powered smart camera development in Vietnam.
Lam Research: Multi-Billion Dollar Investment Plan in Vietnam
Lam Research, a leading U.S. semiconductor equipment manufacturer, is planning an initial investment of $1–2 billion in Vietnam. In Phase 1, Lam Research will collaborate with Seojin, a South Korean company that has already invested in Vietnam and operates factories in Bac Ninh and Bac Giang. During this phase, Seojin will function as a remote manufacturing system, helping Lam Research expand production and meet market demand. In Phase 2, Lam Research plans to make direct investments and further expand its operations in Vietnam.
The entry of major global semiconductor corporations has significantly boosted Vietnam’s semiconductor industry. According to a report by the U.S. Semiconductor Industry Association and Boston Consulting Group, Vietnam is projected to account for 8%–9% of the world’s chip assembly, testing, and packaging capacity by 2032, a sharp increase from just 1% in 2022, thanks to foreign investment from global tech giants.
See more: Which FDI projects are eligible for special investment procedures in 2025?
See more: Trends in the development of high-tech industry in Vietnam
