This is a brief rundown of what is being reported today in Vietnam’s state-approved media and about Vietnam in the international press.
It endeavours to highlight the narratives currently shaping the country’s economic, financial, and business news landscape.
Ed’s note: I’m always looking for new sources with unique insights. If you’re operating a business or working in Vietnam and want to talk about it, reach out: mark.barnes@the-shiv.com
Dragon Capital Europe ETF
ETF Stream is reporting that Dragon Capital has applied to Ireland’s regulator to launch the Dragon Capital Vietnam Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities Exchange-Traded Fund. View source→
Carbon market opens
VnExpress is reporting that Vietnam’s carbon exchange has opened with its first trading day recording more than 1,200 tonnes of CO2 equivalent traded, worth VND161.7 million (US$6,137), with the closing price at VND130,000 (US$4.93) per tonne. View source→
New regulations for communicating with press
Tuoi Tre is reporting that from 1 July, new regulations on communicating with the press in national-level incidents impacting defence, national security, public order or public health will come into effect.
The decree requires initial information to be provided within 24 hours after a major incident with significant social impact or when conflicting public opinion emerges on matters within their authority. View source→
Ed.’s notes: The idea that the government should intervene in cases of conflicting public opinion is interesting.
Copyright commercial-use fee confusion
Thanh Nien is reporting that a reported increase in music copyright fees from 1 July has prompted confusion among Vietnamese cafes and restaurants over whether commercial music use requires separate licensing.
Lawyer Phan Vu Tuan, quoted in the article, has noted that personal subscriptions to services including Spotify, YouTube Premium and Apple Music do not permit commercial use or replace copyright obligations. View source→
Ed.’s notes: This still doesn’t address why businesses would pay licensing fees to the government and not the copyright holders.
Vingroup reduces holdings VinHomes
Tuoi Tre is reporting that Vingroup completed an off-exchange transfer of more than 15.2 million Vinhomes shares on 25 June, reducing its ownership from 72.07 percent to 71.70 percent.
The transfer was completed through the Vietnam Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation, with a nominal value of more than VND152.2 billion (US$5.78 million). View source→
Ed.’s notes: It doesn’t say where these shares went.
GSM increases charter capital
Dan Tri is reporting that Green Smart Mobility Corporation has increased its charter capital to VND54 trillion (US$2.05 billion), its fourth capital increase this year.
The company previously raised its charter capital from VND25 trillion (US$948.8 million) to VND43.4 trillion (US$1.65 billion) through three increases during the first quarter. View source→
Ed.’s notes: ComfortDelgro, the Singapore taxi company which claims to have “one of the world’s largest taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) fleets” has a market cap. of about US$2.2 billion.
VinFast cars on Chinese dock
VnExpress is reporting that a video showing VinFast vehicles at China’s Taicang Port, as part of a report on China’s vehicle exports, has raised questions around where VinFast vehicles are manufactured.
According to VnExpress, however, these vehicles were being transferred between ships after travelling from Hai Phong and were bound for Antwerp, according to shipping tracking websites.
Green Smart Mobility Corporation has not announced its European launch markets, although the article says company staff have recently surveyed Sweden, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands, the article notes. View source→
Ed.’s notes: It’s interesting that this has been published in the domestic media, which tends to avoid anything that might be perceived as negative related to VinFast.
Corruption at nuclear power project
Dau Tu Kien Thuc is reporting that police in Khanh Hoa have charged and detained four people over alleged compensation and resettlement irregularities linked to the Ninh Thuan 1 Nuclear Power Plant project.
Investigators allege the scheme involved improperly claiming compensation through land encroachment, handwritten transfer documents, false registrations and unlawful verification of records.
Police said the alleged offences caused state budget losses exceeding VND1 billion (US$37,950). View source→
Increase to Treasury deposits at banks proposed
VnExpress is reporting that the government has instructed the Ministry of Finance and the State Bank of Vietnam to study increasing the proportion of State Treasury deposits placed with commercial banks.
Current regulations cap the combined use of idle Treasury funds for bank deposits and government bond repurchase agreements at 50 percent of quarterly idle balances. View source→
Ed.’s notes: Adds to growing list of measures introduced by the government to support bank liquidity in order to promote economic growth.
YouTube ads exceed length maximums
Tuoi Tre is reporting that YouTube advertisements on smart televisions can remain unskippable for up to 30 seconds despite a 5-second limit introduced back in February.
Tuoi Tre said it contacted Google’s media representative for comment but had not received a response. View source→
Ed.’s notes: There is a lot of focus on market entry barriers, but not so much on profitability barriers.
Project88 political arrests tally
The 88Project has released a report in which it says it has documented 56 political arrests in Vietnam during 2025, the highest annual total it has recorded since 2018 and up from 45 in 2024.
The organisation said 36 arrests, or 64 percent, involved the vaguely worded Article 331 of Vietnam’s Penal Code: “Abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, and the lawful rights and interests of organisations and citizens.” View source→
Ed.’s notes: This supports the idea that the new government is moving in a more authoritarian direction.
Stock market Monday
The VN-Index closed at 1,854.97, down 16.94 points or 0.90 percent, with a total trading value of VND 17,396.16 billion or US$660.20 million, and foreign traders net-selling US$30.21 million worth of equities, Monday, according to the latest data from the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange. Read the full article →
Soybean imports
Vietnam imported soybeans to the tune of US$268 million in May, up from US$104 million in April, a change of 157.10 percent, according to preliminary data from Vietnam’s General Department of Customs. Read the full article →
Yesterday’s Vietnam news roundup
In yesterday’s Vietnam news: Ethical / cultural business standards framework, Floating solar project, Embattled construction firm investment spinoff, Raising public debt ceiling, Selling excess residential solar, JJapan support strategic oil reserve, Movement on competitive retail electricity market, Women employed in FDI sector, Royalties for cafe music, Film industry development Hollywood perspectives, Stock market Friday, LPG imports May, Friday’s Vietnam news roundup, and more. Read the full article →