Business News

Remittances sent to Ho Chi Minh City topped US$4 billion in the first half of 2026, down nearly 23 percent year on year, despite a modest recovery in the second quarter. The city received more than $2.03 billion in remittances in the second quarter. Tran Thi Ngoc Lien, deputy director of State Bank of Vietnam’s region 2 branch, said the second quarter was the first quarter this year to see remittances to Ho Chi Minh City increase from the preceding quarter, although the pace of recovery remained modest.

Vietnam has approved a development plan through 2035 for its international financial centers, with the one in Ho Chi Minh City positioned as a comprehensive global financial hub. Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Van Thang, chairman of the governing board of the Vietnam International Financial Center, has signed the decision approving the development plan.

Speaking at the event, Bui Hoang Hai, vice-chairman of the State Securities Commission of Vietnam, said total investment demand in the 2026-30 period is estimated at VND38,000 trillion ($1.4 trillion). The state budget can only provide approximately VND8,500 trillion ($323 billion), or 20 percent, leaving the remaining 80 percent to be sourced from private and international capital.

The banking sector is expected to post another quarter of profit growth in the second quarter of 2026, supported by solid credit expansion, although earnings are likely to become increasingly uneven across lenders as pressure on net interest margins and asset quality persists. A recent report by MB Securities (MBS) showed that profit after tax at the banks under its coverage is forecast to increase by around 15 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter.

Việt Nam's Government aims to see 50 State-owned enterprises included among the 500 largest companies in Southeast Asia, and at least one listed among the 500 largest firms in the world by 2030. These targets were set in Decision 1119/QĐ-TTg, which was recently signed by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyễn Văn Thắng.

Outstanding green loans in Vietnam have reached VND828 trillion, with 82 credit institutions now extending financing to environmentally sustainable projects. Growing at an average annual rate of more than 20% between 2017 and 2025, green credit has emerged as a key driver for mobilizing and allocating resources to support the country’s green transition and sustainable economic development.

The State Treasury raised VND33.63 trillion from Government bond (G-bond) auctions in May, completing 72% of its second quarter issuance plan and nearly one-third of its annual target. According to data released by the Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX) on June 4, the exchange organized a total of 17 G-bond auctions on behalf of the State Treasury during May.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung has instructed ministries and agencies to draft additional regulations this month to create breakthrough mechanisms beyond the eight existing decrees and accelerate the launch of key financial products and services at the Vietnam International Financial Center (VIFC). At the same time, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Van Thang has been appointed chairman of the VIFC Executive Council and tasked with directly overseeing the completion of operating regulations for the center and related agencies by June 10.