Investment in fusion energy nearly doubled over the past year to a record annual high of $4.5bn (€3.9bn) versus $2.3bn in 2025, leaving the industry on course to become commercial in the 2030s, according to a report by the Washington-based Fusion Industry Association (FIA).

Writing in the Global Fusion Industry Report, chief executive of the association, Andrew Holland, said the industry had seen a sharp comeback since 2024 when investment in fusion was around $1bn and he had predicted that commercial fusion would not be possible to reach in the 2030s.

According to the report, total fusion industry funding now stands at $14.24bn. One thing stayed the same: confidence in commercial timelines. “The majority of companies continue to expect commercial fusion in the 2030s or before,” the report said.