By Belize Live News Staff: Washington has weighed in on what it is like to invest in Belize.
The US State Department’s 2026 Investment Climate Statement describes Belize as a mixed environment for investors, but one that is gradually improving.
According to the report, the Government continues to welcome foreign investment, and investment inflows kept rising in 2025. Tourism related construction remained the biggest driver.
The economy also kept growing. Real GDP rose 2.7 percent in 2025, marking five straight years of growth since the pandemic. Agriculture and construction led the way. Public sector debt stood at about 70 percent of GDP.
The report credits Belize with several reforms. Company registration is now largely online. Fiscal incentives were expanded to cover more sectors. A new insolvency law gives struggling businesses a path to recover. And businesses can now get many foreign exchange approvals directly from their banks instead of waiting on the Central Bank.
Belize also launched its first credit bureau in 2025, a move the report says should make it easier to access loans over time.
The report notes a planned Investor Residency Program, approved by Cabinet in December 2025, which would grant permanent residence in exchange for a qualifying commercial investment. The law to put it in place has not yet been passed.
Government’s priority sectors for investment include tourism, agriculture, BPO, renewable energy, digital services and aquaculture.
