This is a brief rundown of what is being reported today in Vietnam’s state-approved media and some others.
It compiles coverage from official outlets like Dan Tri, Tuoi Tre, and VN Express, highlighting the narratives currently shaping the country’s economic, financial, and business news landscape.
Metro line 2 HCMC
Dau Tu Kien Thuc is reporting that Ho Chi Minh City plans to break ground on Metro Line 2 from Ben Thanh to Tham Luong on January 15, with total investment adjusted to nearly VND 47.9 trillion or about US$2.1 billion.
The 11.2 kilometre line, approved in 2010 and revised in 2019, includes about 9 kilometres underground and 2 kilometres elevated, with site clearance completed.
The article notes that a list of investors and contractors has not been announced as yet.
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Tax debt increase on land taxes / fees
Thanh Nien is reporting that a rise in tax debt in Ho Chi Minh City was mainly caused by land related obligations, which accounted for VND 41.04 trillion, or about US$1.56 billion, equal to 44.6 percent of total outstanding tax debt.
Most of this amount relates to land use fees and land rent that taxpayers have not agreed to pay due to unresolved issues over land pricing, land area determination and compensation offsets.
Ed.’s notes: Speaks to ongoing challenges in implementation of revised Land Law and land pricing process.
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Income tax exemptions night / overtime work
Dau Tu Kien Thuc is reporting that Vietnam’s revised Personal Income Tax Law will exempt all overtime pay, night work wages and compensation for unused leave from personal income tax starting July 1, 2026.
The law was announced on January 6 and applies to income from salaries and wages from the 2026 tax year, according to the Ministry of Finance.
The law also raises the monthly personal deduction to VND 15.5 million and the dependent deduction to VND 6.2 million.
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Shopee / TikTok market share
Dau Tu Kien Thuc is reporting that TikTok Shop sharply expanded its position in Vietnam’s e commerce market in 2025, lifting market share to 41 percent while Shopee remained number one with 56 percent, according to VinVentures.
TikTok Shop revenue grew 69 percent year on year, while Shopee growth slowed to about 4 percent and Lazada held a 3 percent market share, the article says.
Conversely, homegrown e-commerce app Tiki saw revenue fall about 80 percent despite spending an estimated US$670 million on expansion and competition.
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Concerns bank transfer tax deduction requirement
Thanh Nien is reporting that the Tien Nam Cooperative in Dak Lak has raised concerns about the impact of new tax rules requiring non cash payment for expenses of VND 5 million or more to qualify as deductible costs.
The cooperative said it buys plantation acacia directly from local farmers, most of whom are ethnic minorities without bank accounts or smartphones.
It noted that bank branches are typically 40 to 50 kilometres away and transport is difficult, limiting access to banking services.
The cooperative warned that the rule could disrupt raw material purchasing, delay payments to farmers and create compliance risks for rural businesses despite their legitimate operations.
Ed.’s notes: A reminder that development in Vietnam is not evenly spread.
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GDP growth outpacing power supply
Dan Tri is reporting that Vietnam’s gross domestic product grew 8.02 percent in 2025, while electricity consumption rose only 4.9 percent, according to data from the National Statistics Office and Vietnam Electricity.
Officials said the gap was driven by slow public investment disbursement, lower residential electricity growth, and weather conditions with fewer widespread heatwaves.
Electricity use by industry and construction rose 7.2 percent and would reach about 12 percent if self generated power was included, aligning with industrial output growth.
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Domestic consumption
Tuoi Tre is reporting that Vietnam’s domestic market emerged as a key growth support in 2025 amid global uncertainty, with total retail goods and service revenue rising about 10 percent year on year, according to a report by the Industry and Trade Publishing House.
The domestic retail market was estimated at about US$269 billion, including roughly US$205 billion in retail goods, as consumption recovered selectively rather than broadly, it says.
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FDI real estate concerns
Nha Dau Tu is reporting that economist Pham Chi Lan has said rising foreign investment in housing real estate is not necessarily positive with foreign competition having the potential to hinder the development of local real estate firms.
She said authorities should tightly control foreign capital in residential real estate to prevent legal risks, management challenges and potential national security concerns.
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Public company status mining / minerals sector
Dan Tri is reporting that several major oil and mineral companies, including PV GAS D, PV GAS and Vimico, said they no longer meet public company conditions due to highly concentrated ownership structures.
PV GAS D’s three largest shareholders hold 96.5 percent of equity, while PV GAS’s parent PetroVietnam owns 95.76 percent, below the minimum free float requirement under securities law.
Ed.’s notes: Highlights difficulty in accurately assessing the value of the stock market. Small free-float = fewer trades and bigger price swings.
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Food Safety Authority corruption
An Ninh Tien Te is reporting that Vietnamese prosecutors say a systematic “thank-you payment” scheme operated for years at the Food Safety Authority under the Ministry of Health, involving nearly VND 94 trillion in bribes.
At a trial involving more than 50 defendants, former leaders and specialists testified that businesses routinely paid cash after food and health-product dossiers were approved.
A former deputy director said he received about VND8.7 billion by signing more than 10,000 files, while specialists described collecting VND5–8 million per dossier and passing most of it to superiors.
Judges noted businesses claimed payments were made under pressure to avoid delays, not voluntarily.
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Seafood exports MMPA USA
Thanh Nien is reporting that a seafood business leader in Ho Chi Minh City told the publication that the new Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) rules will disrupt exports, noting certification procedures in Vietnam remain complex and untested, forcing firms to consider alternative markets.
It also cites Le Hang, deputy secretary general of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Processing and Export, as saying rising US tariffs and technical barriers are pushing exporters to diversify, though market restructuring will take time.
Vietnamese seafood exporters face tighter access to the US market from January 1, 2026, as the MMPA import rules take full effect, requiring Certificates of Admissibility for affected shipments.
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Land auction deposits
VnExpress is reporting that the government has raised the deposit requirement for residential land auctions to between 10 percent and 50 percent of the starting price, up from the current 5–20 percent range.
Under new rules, auction winners who fail to pay and cause results to be cancelled will be banned from land auctions for two to five years, while partial non-payment will trigger bans of six months to three years.
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Coal production
the-shiv is reporting that Vietnam produced 3,981.15 thousand tons of coal in December, down 0.17 percent from 3,987.90 thousand tons in November, according to the latest data from the National Statistics Office.
Year to date output reached 45,713.96 thousand tons by the end of December.
Stock market Wednesday
the-shiv is reporting that the VN-Index closed at 1,816.27, up 27.87 points or 1.56 percent, with a total trading value of VND 27,445.17 billion or US$1041.56 million, and foreign traders net-selling US$15.83 million worth of equities, Tuesday, according to the latest data from the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange.
Exchange rates Wednesday
the-shiv is reporting that on January 6, in Vietnam, the black market US dollar buy rate was VND 26,950 and the sell rate was VND 27,000, a change of 50 and 50, respectively, for a mid-market rate of VND 26,975 (up 0.19 percent), according to Ty Gia USD.
Meanwhile, the State Bank of Vietnam’s central exchange rate was set at VND 25,122, while the Google Finance mid-market rate stood at VND 26,274.
Tourist arrivals December / 2025
the-shiv is reporting that Vietnam recorded more than 2 million international visitor arrivals in December, up 15.7 percent from the same month last year, according to the most recent release from the country’s National Statistics Office.
For the full year 2025, international arrivals are expected to reach nearly 21.2 million, representing year on year growth of 20.4 percent.
Yesterday’s Vietnam news update
Vietnam news headlines yesterday include: Government inspection EV maker, Bamboo Airways recruiting, New regulations: credit institution investments, New credit card ID requirements, New Year holiday tourism, Business closures 2025, Loss-making tech firms listing HoSE, Public company status Viettel Global, Nhon Trach gas plant officially online, Call for government orders of VN-made UAVs, Unilever VN partner public company status revoked, Netflix censorship 9-dash line, Q4 inflation, 2025 trade data, 2025 FDI, GDP growth Q4 / 2025, Imports from Philippines, and more.