Citizenship by investment schemes received $10 billion in FDI

Citizenship by investment schemes boomed from just one in 1984 and in just 35 years, these schemes have proliferated to 13 countries as of 2019 and excess of $10 billion have poured into countries running it.

Currently CBI schemes bring $5 billion every year and expected to grow by 25% every year, and by 2020 it is expected to hit some $7 billion every year.

Montenegro, Turkey and Moldova are three countries that introduced citizenship by investment in 2018.

The following are some approximate figures we have compiled about the total investments received under CBI schemes in these countries.

• St Kitts and Nevis – $1 billion
• Antigua and Barbuda –  $110 million
• Dominica – $350 million
• Grenada – $165 million
• St Lucia – $25 million
• Malta – €1 billion (8% of GDP)
• Cyprus – €6.5 billion (30% of GDP 2017)
• Vanuatu – $42 million
• Moldova – €1.3 billion *
• Montenegro – €700 million*

Total: $10 billion +

Approximate figures based on IMF and other sources, real estate and business investment not included.
* Projected

Golden visa schemes that offer residence to immigrant investors received another $80 billion, which is 10X times the CBI industry. Citizenship and residence by investment schemes combined have attracted a total of $90 billion and will surpass $100 billion in 2019

US/Canada: $47 billion
Europe: $24 billion
Australia/New Zealand: $9.5 billion

 

	Inception	Total Investment	US Dollars
United States	1990	$35.5 billion	$35.5B
Canada	1986	C$16.0 billion	$12.1B
Australia	2012	A$ 10.1 billion	$7.45B
United Kingdom	1994	£4.7 billion	$6B
Portugal	2012	€4.0 billion	$4.5B
Greece	2014	€1.0 billion	$1.1B
Spain	2013	€3.0 billion	$3.4B
New Zealand	2009	N$ 2.9 billion	$2B
Ireland	2012	€0.2 billion	$0.23B
Malta	2014	€1.0 billion	$1.1B
Cyprus	2013	€4.8 billion	$5.4B
Latvia	2010	€1.9 billion	$2.1B
Bulgaria	2009	€0.17 billion	$0.20B