banking and finance
The Banking & Finance category covers the latest trends, regulatory updates, and market developments in the financial sector. It explores banking operations, monetary policy, interest rates, foreign exchange, and investment flows, providing insights into capital markets, digital banking, lending trends, and financial regulations. This section also examines economic stability, fintech innovations, and foreign direct investment (FDI) in financial services, helping businesses, investors, and policymakers navigate the evolving financial landscape.
Banking & finance: Vietnam records 5.5 billion cashless transactions in Q1 2025
Vietnam’s recorded 5.5 billion cashless transactions in Q1 2025 with 82 percent via digital channels, according to Nguyen Hung Nguyen, Deputy General Director of Vietnam National Payment Joint Stock Company (NAPAS) and reported by VN Express.
Banking and finance: Vietnam corporate bond issues top US$1.8 billion in May
Vietnam’s corporate bond market showed signs of renewed activity in May, with VND 46.77 trillion (US$1.80 billion) worth of private placements across 42 deals, according to data from the Vietnam Bond Market Association (VBMA) as of May 31.
Finance: Vietnam mulls stricter cap on private bond issuers’ debt levels to curb risk
Vietnam’s Finance Minister Nguyen Van Thang has called for stricter rules on private placement bond issuance, proposing a cap that would bar companies with liabilities more than five times their equity from raising capital through this channel. It would, however, exclude key sectors like real estate, banking, and insurance, The Investor has reported
Banking & finance: Japan’s AEON seeks to void Vietnam finance acquisition over false accounting
AEON Financial Service (AFS) has declared its acquisition of Vietnamese lender Post and Telecommunication Finance Company (PTF) invalid, citing serious accounting irregularities prior to the deal, the firm has said in a statement.
Banking & Finance: South Korea’s IBK clears key hurdle for Vietnam entry after eight-year wait
The State Bank of Vietnam has issued a confirmation letter to the Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK), signalling the official start of the review process for the Korean policy lender’s long-pending subsidiary application, The Korean Herald has reported.
Stocks: VN-Index edges up as foreign investors maintain net selling streak
The VN-Index rose slightly by 0.62 points to close at 1,314.46, a modest gain of 0.05 percent. Total trading value across the market reached VND 16.9 trillion, or US$650 million, reflecting subdued sentiment amid a wait-and-see stance by investors.
Stock market: VN-Index falls as foreign investors return to slight net buying
The VN-Index fell today by 9.21 points, or 0.70 percent, to close at 1,313.84 on a trading value of VND 26.41 trillion (US$1.02 billion). Market sentiment was mixed, with selective gains in key blue-chips. Foreign trading saw a return to mild net buying. Foreign investors bought VND 2,766 billion (US$106.38 million) worth of shares and sold VND 2,651 billion (US$101.96 million), resulting in a net buy of just VND 115 billion (US$4.42 million).
Banking & finance: Vietnam State Treasury deposits at major SOEs hit 5-year high, Q1 2025
Vietnam’s State Treasury had deposited VND 379.05 trillion (US$14.58 billion) across state-owned banks BIDV, VietinBank, and Vietcombank as of end-March 2025 — more than 4 times higher than the same period last year and the highest since 2020, Dan Tri has reported.
Banking & finance: Vietnam payday lender raises US$30 million from UK’s Lendable
Vietnam payday lender, F88, has secured a US$30 million, three-year loan from UK-based Lendable. This brings its total funding for F88 to nearly US$70 million, The Investor has reported.
Vietnam Market Wrap: VN-Index edges higher, foreign net-buying hits US$18.42 million
Vietnam’s stock market inched higher on Wednesday, with the VN-Index gaining 7.90 points to close at 1,323.05, a 0.60 percent increase. Total trading value on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE) reached VND 25.24 trillion, or approximately US$970.77 million, reflecting resilient domestic sentiment.
Insurance: Vietnam insurer fined for delays and underpayment amid rebranding push
VNI Insurance, now rebranded as DBV Insurance, has been fined VND 260 million (US$10,000) by the Ministry of Finance for multiple violations—including delayed compensation payments, inadequate reserve setting, and inaccurate reporting, Tuoi Tre has reported.
Banking & finance: Vietnam crypto stakeholders push back on forced transfer proposal
Crypto experts, investors, and legal scholars have widely opposed the Ministry of Finance’s draft regulation requiring crypto to be transferred to and stored within licensed domestic exchanges in Vietnam, Tuoi Tre has reported. They argue it is legally premature, technically unworkable, and economically harmful.
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.
Cryptocurrency: Vietnam tax on digital assets feasible, but legal clarity needed
In an opinion piece in the Vietnam Investment Review, Nguyen Tien Hoa, Senior Partner at ASL Law, has argued that taxing crypto assets in Vietnam is legally feasible but requires foundational legal clarity and a phased implementation.
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.
Banking and finance: Vietnam’s finance and insurance sector sees US$142 million in March FDI commitments
The finance, banking and insurance sector attracted US$141.94 million in foreign direct investment in March, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade. This included just 1 new project valued at US$2 million.
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.
Banking: BIDV flags risk to US$11.6 billion credit portfolio from US tariffs
At its 2025 annual general meeting, BIDV Chairman Phan Duc Tu warned that US “reciprocal” tariffs could affect around VND 300 trillion (US$11.58 billion) of the bank’s outstanding loans, representing 15 percent of its total credit balance. Industries most at risk include steel, plastics, seafood, textiles, and electronics, Cafe F is reporting.
Banking: Vietnam’s bad debt jumps 3.3 percent in first two month of 2025
Nguyen Quoc Hung, General Secretary of the Vietnam Banking Association, has raised concerns about the speed at which bad debt is rising in Vietnam, Tuoi Tre is reporting. Total bad debt stood at VND 1,030 trillion (US$41.18 billion) at the end of 2024, rising by VND 34 trillion (US$1.36 billion), or about 3.3 percent, in the first two months of 2025.
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