{"id":459,"date":"2025-11-17T13:03:54","date_gmt":"2025-11-17T06:03:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/investinasia.co.th\/market-insights\/?p=459"},"modified":"2025-11-17T14:04:04","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T07:04:04","slug":"top-5-countries-in-asia-to-watch-in-2026-for-company-setup-global-expansion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/investinasia.co.th\/market-insights\/2025\/11\/17\/top-5-countries-in-asia-to-watch-in-2026-for-company-setup-global-expansion\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 5 Countries in Asia to Watch in 2026 for Company Setup & Global Expansion"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As we are moving into 2026, more founders and investors are looking beyond their home markets to optimize tax, access new customers, and diversify risk<\/strong>. Asia and the Middle East are at the center of this shift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Multilateral agencies like the IMF and Asian Development Bank (ADB) expect Asia-Pacific to contribute around 60% of global growth in 2025\u20132026<\/strong>, even as overall global growth stays moderate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using latest data on FDI inflows, government reforms and growth forecasts<\/strong>, these are the Top 5 countries to watch in 2026 if you\u2019re planning a company setup or expansion<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. United Arab Emirates (Dubai)<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Singapore<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Vietnam<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Indonesia<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Philippines<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    \"DMCC<\/a>
    DMCC Uptown Tower in Dubai at sunrise, showcasing the city\u2019s leading global trade and free zone hub. Image credit: DMCC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. United Arab Emirates (Dubai)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Why it\u2019s on the list:<\/strong> FDI magnet + pro-investor tax regime + fast-growing non-oil economy<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    According to the UAE government<\/a>, FDI inflows reached USD 30.7 billion in 2023<\/strong>, up from USD 22.7 billion in 2022, making the UAE second globally<\/strong> in FDI inflows in that year, based on UNCTAD\u2019s World Investment Report 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The UAE also promotes more than 40 free zones offering 100% foreign ownership and tax exemptions<\/strong>, giving foreign investors flexibility to choose a zone tailored to their activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    On the macro side, the IMF and UAE central bank both project real GDP growth around 4.8\u20134.9% in 2025 and about 5% in 2026<\/strong><\/a>, driven largely by non-oil sectors like tourism, finance, real estate and construction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Meanwhile, Dubai has evolved into a startup and innovation hub<\/a><\/strong>: recent analysis shows nearly 1,000 active startups, with hundreds of new digital startups launched between 2024 and 2025, supported by accelerators, family offices and events like GITEX.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Why founders should watch the UAE in 2026<\/h3>\n\n\n\n