Chicago has been a hotbed of foreign direct investment in recent years and has the recognition to prove it. The Second City was named the top major city for foreign direct investment strategy by fDi magazine, which reports exclusively on cross-border investments.

The magazine cites World Business Chicago's efforts to encourage foreign investment, including sister cities relationships with 28 international cities, financial incentives by the city and state for foreign companies relocating to Illinois, and an explosion in trade missions and joint conferences between Chicago and the Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin since signing a 2013 memorandum of understanding allowing Chicago to be the official gateway city for these cities.

Chicago was the top American market in foreign direct investment for four straight years, according to IBM's Global Location Trends report.

Chicago real estate has seen $12.5B in foreign direct investment since 2012.