VIETNAM’S GDP GROWS 8.02% IN 2025

A view of downtown HCMC from across the Saigon River - PHOTO: NGOC NGUYEN

HCMC – Vietnam’s economy expanded by 8.02% in 2025, marking the second-fastest growth rate in the 2011–2025 period, driven mainly by services and industrial production, official data showed on January 5.

According to the National Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance, gross domestic product (GDP) grew 8.46% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2025, the strongest quarterly performance since 2021. Full-year growth was second only to 2022, when GDP picked up 8.12%.

The economic expansion came despite continued global economic uncertainties, including trade tensions and U.S. reciprocal tariffs. Vietnam’s growth rate was the highest in ASEAN and among the top performers globally.

Average GDP growth in the 2021–2025 period reached about 6.3% per year, slightly higher than the 6.2% seen in the previous five-year term.

Vietnam’s GDP in 2025 was estimated at US$514 billion, up US$38 billion from a year earlier. GDP per capita rose to US$5,026, an increase of US$326 from 2024, placing Vietnam in the upper-middle-income group. Consumer prices rose 3.31% on average last year.

Services remained the largest contributor to economic growth, accounting for more than 51% of total value added. The sector’s value added rose 8.62% from 2024. Industry and construction grew 8.95%, contributing 43.62% to overall growth, while agriculture, forestry and fisheries accounted for 5.3%.

Trade activity hit a new record. Total import-export turnover exceeded US$930 billion in 2025, up 18.2% year-on-year. Exports reached US$475 billion, a 17% increase, with 36 product categories generating more than US$1 billion each.

Business activity also improved. Nearly 297,500 enterprises were newly established or resumed operations during the year, up 27.4% from 2024, averaging almost 24,800 per month. At the same time, around 18,900 businesses exited the market each month.

Business sentiment strengthened in the fourth quarter. The proportion of firms reporting improved conditions rose by 1.1 percentage points from the previous quarter, while those citing stable or more difficult conditions declined.

Nguyen Thi Huong, director general of the National Statistics Office, said fourth-quarter GDP growth was the highest in the 2021–2025 period, with economic expansion accelerating quarter by quarter throughout the year.

Looking ahead, Vietnam aims to achieve double-digit growth in 2026 while maintaining macroeconomic stability, controlling inflation and safeguarding key economic balances. Huong said this would require stronger measures to speed up public investment disbursement, especially for major national projects, and to resolve long-delayed projects.

She also highlighted the need to deepen economic restructuring, boost exports and further develop the domestic market. For businesses, she said authorities should adopt more competitive and supportive policies to attract large-scale, high-tech projects.

Vietnam should pursue more selective foreign investment, focusing on sectors with strong growth potential such as chips, semiconductors, innovation and green hydrogen, she added.

Source: The Saigon Times

Related News

INFRASTRUCTURE / CONSTRUCTION / LOGISTIC / PORT

VIỆT NAM-CAMBODIA TRADE GATHERS PACE TOWARDS $20 BILLION TARGET

Trade between Việt Nam and Cambodia continues to grow, remaining a bright spot and a key pillar of bilateral cooperation as the two countries aim to raise two-way trade to US$20 billion in the coming years. After setting a record of more than $11.3 billion last year, bilateral trade reached about $8.7 billion in the first eight months of this year, up 8.3 per cent year on year.

Oct 14, 2026

TECHNOLOGY

AI BEGINNING TO RESHAPE RECRUITMENT CRITERIA

Digital literacy is the only capability area in which fresh graduates meet employers’ expectations, according to a new report. Yet, it is also the standard rising fastest, as businesses increasingly expect new hires to use AI effectively in the workplace. Some 83 per cent of employers say AI has changed, or is beginning to change, their hiring criteria, while 94 per cent report higher expectations for digital and AI capabilities than they had two to three years ago.

Oct 14, 2026

INFRASTRUCTURE / CONSTRUCTION / LOGISTIC / PORT

ĐÀ NẴNG GREEN-LIGHTS US$105 MILLION THAI DEVELOPMENT DEAL

The central city has approved an investment proposal by Thailand’s WHA Group to develop infrastructure for the 400ha WHA Đà Nẵng Industrial Park project on two communes of Thăng Bình and Đồng Dương, with an investment of more than VNĐ2.7 trillion (US$105 million). The city said it approved WHA Industrial Development International's status as an investor in the project, which is expected to take place between 2027 and 2034.

Oct 14, 2026

VIETNAM ECONOMY INVESTMENT

MOBILE PHONE EXPORTS RISE 20% TO $51.8 BILLION IN FIRST NINE MONTHS

Exports of mobile phones and components rose 20 per cent year-on-year to nearly US$51.8 billion in the first nine months of 2026, with China, the US and Republic of Korea accounting for more than half of the total. Shipments to the three markets reached a combined $26.18 billion, or 50.6 per cent of total exports of the product group during the period, according to data from the Vietnam Department of Customs under the Ministry of Finance.

Oct 14, 2026

VIETNAM ECONOMY INVESTMENT

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE EXPORTS POISED TO HIT $10 BILLION IN 2026

Fruit and vegetable exports are on track to reach nearly US$10 billion in 2026, after rising 19.9 per cent year on year to nearly US$7.4 billion in the first nine months, driven by strong seasonal demand and abundant tropical fruit supplies. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment said the growth reflected stronger international demand for fresh produce and processed agricultural products.

Oct 14, 2026

GARMENT / TEXTILE

TEXTILE EXPORTS FACE DUAL CHALLENGES OF SUSTAINING ORDERS AND BOOSTING EFFICIENCY AMID GROWING COMPETITION

Data shows that the textile and garment sector maintained its growth momentum in the first nine months of this year. The industry's total export turnover reached an estimated US$35.721 billion in the first nine months of this year, up 3.3 per cent year-on-year. Despite posting encouraging export figures, Vietnamese textile and garment enterprises continue to navigate unpredictable market variables.

Oct 14, 2026