IMD Global Competitiveness Ranking 2025

Release: June 2025 — IMD Business The School (World Competitiveness Center) has presented the next World Competitiveness Ranking, covering 69 largest economies

What is evaluated

IMD takes into account 333 criteria, divided into four groups:

1. Economic efficiency
2. Government efficiency
3. Business efficiency
4. Infrastructure
5. The order of distribution: 2/3 is based on objective data ("hard data"), and 1/3 is based on the opinion of 6,162 CEOs who participated in the 2025 survey

Main results of 2025

• Top 3 countries: Switzerland, Singapore, Hong Kong .
• Rapid growth within the top 20: Canada, Germany and Luxembourg have shown notable progress.
• The main trend: effective public administration is the key to reducing social inequality and increasing the resilience of countries

⚠️ What you should pay attention to

• FIAT currency: strong national currencies become indicators of economic stability.
• The geopolitical background: the era of trade wars, the rise of protectionism. In these circumstances, it is important that the private and public sectors work in a unified manner.
• Technical recommendations for leaders:

1. Currency risk management
2. Supply chain diversification
3. Inflation and interest rate control
4. Countering economic nationalism
5. Investing in digitalization and innovation
6. Green transformation as a competitive advantage

Why rating is important

• An integrated approach: assessing not only GDP, but also the quality of life, infrastructure, and management.
• History and Methodology: IMD has been publishing this rating for 37 years, it is a recognized tool for analysis by governments, corporations and researchers

• Hybrid model: the combination of hard data and business perception provides a balanced picture.

🏆 Examples from world leaders

• Switzerland: confident leadership means strong positions in infrastructure and public administration, despite small losses in the economic and business spheres.
• Singapore and Hong Kong: maintain stability through a combination of long-term sustainable policies, financial growth, and open markets.

What does this mean for business

• Companies receive guidance on the competitive environment and insight for strategic planning.
• The rating helps governments identify areas for reform (for example, in public administration or infrastructure modernization).
• For investors and analysts — a source of information about the long-term sustainability of countries.

The IMD WC2025 rating reflects changes in the global competitive balance: government efficiency is becoming a key factor. The high positions of Switzerland, Singapore and Hong Kong are the result of stable policies and investments in infrastructure. And IMD's advice provides specific guidelines for businesses and authorities in a fragmented world.