Developing economies are tightening their grip on foreign capital—and the numbers tell a stark story.

This year, 50% of all policy measures targeting foreign direct investment turned restrictive. That's the highest we've seen since 2010, when the post-crisis protectionism wave was still fresh.

Why does this matter? Because when governments throw up barriers to cross-border investment, they're not just blocking capital flows—they're strangling job creation and choking economic expansion at the source.

The irony? Many of these economies desperately need the growth that FDI brings. Yet political pressures and nationalist sentiment are driving policy in the opposite direction.

If this trend continues unchecked, we're looking at a prolonged slowdown in emerging markets. Capital will find other homes, talent will migrate, and the development gap will widen.

The clock's ticking. Reversing this protectionist slide isn't just advisable—it's existential for economies betting their future on integration, not isolation.