Services & Trade
This category includes the service sector, retail, logistics, finance, e-commerce, and tourism, alongside trade policy and investment trends. It covers import/export dynamics, banking regulations, stock market movements, and infrastructure development. With increasing integration into regional and global trade, this section provides insights into consumer behavior, foreign investment, and evolving service industries.
Healthcare: Japan’s IHW looking to build high-end hospital in Hanoi
Japan’s International Healthcare and Welfare Group (IHW) is looking at 2.5 ha of land in the North Hanoi Smart City for a 200-bed high-end hospital, English language news site, The Investor is reporting. The project is inspired by top-tier Japanese institutions like Sanno Hospital and Mita Hospital, the publication has reported.
Tax: Vietnam government submits proposal to extend VAT cut until end-2026
Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance has officially submitted a draft resolution to the National Assembly, seeking to extend the 2 percent Value-added Tax (VAT) reduction until December 31, 2026, Tuoi Tre has reported. The proposed extension applies to goods and services normally taxed at 10 percent, except for sectors such as telecoms, finance, insurance, real estate, mining (except coal), and luxury goods.
Consumer goods: Vietnam retail market projected to double by 2032
Vietnam’s retail sector is forecast to grow from US$180 billion in 2025 to US$350 billion by 2032, representing a compound annual growth rate of 8.5 percent, according to a report from HTF Market Intelligence.
Trade: Dry cargo shortage insurance claims surge in Vietnam ports
Dry cargo shortage insurance claims in Cai Mep and Phu My ports have nearly tripled between 2020 and 2024, according to Gard P&I Club and reported by Safety4Sea. Affected cargoes include soybean meal, corn, and fertilisers, with claims are generally low value but high frequency, raising cumulative risk
Gaming: Hoiana counsel critiques Vietnam’s gaming laws as incomplete and unclear
Vietnam’s gaming regulatory system is underdeveloped and struggling to balance commercial needs with state control, Luís Mesquita de Melo, General Counsel at Hoiana Integrated Resort, has told a panel discussion, as reported by Asia Gaming Brief.
Stock market: Vietnam’s VN-Index climbs 1.55 percent on May 8
The VNIndex closed at 1,269.80 today, gaining 19.43 points or 1.55 percent, with a total trading value of VND 19.22 trillion, or US$739.2 million. The VN30 index also rose, climbing 1.99 percent to close at 1,351.10.
Retail: Japan’s Aeon plans eightfold store expansion in Vietnam by 2030
Japan’s Aeon aims to expand from 12 to 100 general merchandise stores and super-supermarkets in Vietnam by 2030, Nikkei Asia has reported. It also plans to grow its network of smaller grocery stores to around 200 locations.
Economy: Vietnam announces US$20 billion credit package to drive growth
A total of 21 commercial banks have registered to participate in a VND 500 trillion (US$20 billion) credit package to support businesses in infrastructure and digital technology, Deputy Governor Dao Minh Tu has told a press conference. The package will offer interest rates at least 1 percent lower than current commercial lending rates for a minimum of two years.
Stock market: VNIndex edges up 0.15 percent amid mixed sector performance
The VNIndex closed at 1,241.95 today, gaining 1.90 points or 0.15 percent with a total trading value of VND 17.85 trillion, or US$686.54 million, according to a release from the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange. The VN30 index conversely dipped slightly by 0.06 percent, while VNSmallCap gained 0.07 percent and VNMidCap fell 0.19 percent.
Sanctions: EU to target Vietnamese companies aiding Russian sanctions evasion
For the first time, the European Union plans to sanction a Vietnamese company for allegedly assisting Russia in bypassing trade restrictions, as part of its 17th sanctions package since the Ukraine invasion, the Financial Times is reporting.
Trade: US-Vietnam trade grows in April post-US tariff announcement
Vietnam’s exports to the United States in April reached US$12.02 billion, up 1.5 percent from US$11.85 billion in March, according to the latest data from Vietnam Customs. Imports from the US were also up, reaching US$1.57 billion, an increase 4.3 percent from US$1.50 billion in March.
Tourism and hospitality: Vietnam receives 7.67 million international visitors in first four months of 2025
Vietnam’s April 2025 tourist arrivals hit 1.65 million, down 19.5 percent from March, but up 6.3 percent year-on-year, according to the latest data from the National Statistics Office (NSO). Year-to-date (Jan–Apr 2025) total arrivals reached 7.67 million, up 23.8 percent compared to the same period in 2024.
Securities: Vietnam’s long delayed KRX trading system finally goes live
Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HoSE) has officially launched its new KRX trading system, ten years after it was first conceived, VietnamNet has reported. It’s hoped the new system will improve liquidity, trading efficiency, and pave the way for a market status upgrade.
Banking: Credit growth boosts Q1 profits, but deposit costs and provisioning rise
Vietnam’s system-wide credit grew 3.93 percent by March 31, nearly triple the pace in Q1 2024, Kinh Te Saigon is reporting. This supported high profit growth at banks like SeABank (+189 percent), MBBank (+45 percent), HDBank (+33 percent), and Sacombank (+38 percent), however, the publication also notes that rising bad debts led to increased credit risk provisioning, with rising deposit interest costs also putting pressure on banks’ margins.
Tourism & hospitality: Vietnam’s accommodation and food services sees US$37 million in March FDI
The accommodation and food services sector recorded US$36.61 million in foreign direct investment in March 2025. This included 4 new projects with a total value of US$33 million, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
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Finance: Vietnam’s insurance market grows 5.6 percent in Q1 2025
Vietnam’s Total insurance premium revenue in Q1 2025 reached VND 56.58 trillion or US$2.26 billion, up 5.62 percent year-on-year. Non-life insurance recorded VND 22.01 trillion or US$880.4 million, rising 10 percent, with life insurance reaching VND 34.56 trillion or US$1.38 billion, growing 3 percent, according to data from the Ministry of Finance.
Public transport: Vietnam’s metro targets at risk without unified standards
Vietnam lacks a complete, harmonised framework for metro construction, making it harder to train engineers, approve designs, and maintain infrastructure over time, engineer Le Van Cuong, who consulted on Ho Chi Minh City’s Metro Line 1, has told VN Express. Moreover, he has warned that inconsistent standards lead to higher costs, longer build times, and difficulties in operations and maintenance.
Tourism and hospitality: Vietnam tourist arrivals from Oceania up 12 percent in March
Vietnam welcomed 46,383 tourists from Oceania in March 2025, up 11.9 percent from February, according to data from Vietnam’s General Department of Customs. Moreover, total arrivals from the region in the first quarter reached 160,090, an 11.4 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024, providing a significant boost to Vietnam’s tourism industry.
Education: Vietnam’s education and training sector records US$44 million in March FDI
The education and training sector attracted US$43.57 million in foreign direct investment in March. No new projects were launched during the month, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
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This is an interview with Dr Nuno F. Ribeiro, Associate Professor, International Tourism & Hospitality Management at Copenhagen Business College, formerly of RMIT Vietnam. It