Banking
HDBank Q1 2026: The CAR Improvement That Makes the Green Bond Real
HDBank's CAR rose 184 bps to 16.16% in Q1 2026 — the capital metric underpinning Moody's 'Positive' outlook and a $300M green bond pipeline.
LPBank Becomes the Eighth Bank to Approve a VIFC Subsidiary — and the First to Name Digital Assets
LPBank's 28 April AGM unanimously approved a VIFC subsidiary — the eighth in 2026 — and the first to explicitly cite digital asset management as a target service.
The Domestic Bank Subsidiary Wave: What Eight Banks — and Now Securities Firms — Committing Capital Tells International Firms About the VIFC
Eight banks and the first securities firms have now committed capital to VIFC subsidiaries. The financial infrastructure layer is wider than originally assessed.
SBV Biometric Rule Extends to Card Issuance, Closing Gap Left by Circular 77
Circular 45/2025, in force since January 5, 2026, requires biometric verification against the CCCD chip before any new bank card can be issued or activated for electronic transactions.
Decree 198 Thins the SBV Unit That Clears Foreign Banks Into the VIFC
Decree 198/2026 cuts SBV's International Cooperation Department from 5 to 3 divisions and renames Credit and Forecasting units, effective 1 July 2026.
SBV's Draft AI Circular: Six Compliance Layers Banks Must Build by September 2027
The SBV's draft AI circular imposes six compliance layers on banks under Law 134/2025/QH15, with a September 2027 deadline for existing systems.
Decree 324 Lifts M&A Cap as 50% Control Trigger Looms
Decree 324 removes foreign ownership caps and M&A registration for most VIFC deals — but Article 6.2's 50% threshold redefines a buyer's mainland Vietnam investment rights permanently.
Circular 09 Updates Custody Rules for SBV Repos and OMOs
Circular 09/2026/TT-NHNN, effective July 4, takes effect just as VIFC subsidiary banks go live — here is what compliance and treasury teams must act on.
SBV's Draft Circular on FDI Forex: Pre-IRC Accounts and the First IFC-to-Mainland Capital Category
SBV's draft replacement for Circular 06/2019 lets foreign investors open capital accounts before IRC approval and creates the first explicit regulatory category for IFC-to-mainland capital flows.
No More Forced VND Conversion: What Circular 72 Actually Means for Inbound Capital
Circular 72 abolished Vietnam's mandatory VND conversion for VIFC-bound foreign capital — here is what that means in practice for foreign LPs and asset managers.
Decree 329 + Circular 72 Explained: Banking, Foreign Exchange, and AML Within the VIFC
A plain-English walkthrough of the VIFC's banking licensing, foreign exchange, and anti-money laundering framework — the 'money layer' of Vietnam's financial centre.
SBV Sets 15% Credit Ceiling for 2026 as Deposit Rates Hit Cycle Peak
Vietnam's SBV set a 15% credit growth ceiling for 2026 — down from 19% actual in 2025 — as deposit rates hit cycle peaks at 12 banks.
Decree 323's Supremacy Clause Gives the VIFC Power to Override Vietnamese Law — if the Rules Get Written
Decree 323 lets the VIFC's Executive Council override conflicting Vietnamese law — but the Operational Regulations that activate the power remain unwritten.
Singapore Backs VIFC Commercial Court in May 29 MOU
Singapore and Vietnam signed an MOU on 29 May 2026 to jointly develop the VIFC Specialised Commercial Court — the first bilateral partnership to operationalise Law 150's judicial framework.
VIFC Posts 38 Members in First Institutional Scoreboard
Vietnam's MoF disclosed 38 formal VIFC registrations across both nodes on May 25 — the first official membership count, against 'hundreds' of expressions of interest.
Decree 329's AA- Floor Is Blocking JPMorgan, MUFG, and Bank of America from the VIFC
Decree 329 requires AA-/Aa3 credit ratings for foreign bank VIFC licences — a threshold that blocks JPMorgan, MUFG, Bank of China, and over 10 other named institutions.
VIFC's Eight Implementing Decrees: A Practitioner's Reference Map
All eight VIFC implementing decrees (323–330) were enacted on 18 December 2025. Here is the practitioner's reference map.
For Financial Institutions: Licensing, Membership, and Operating Within the VIFC
A practical guide for banks, insurers, asset managers, and financial services firms evaluating the VIFC — covering membership tiers, licensing pathways, capital requirements, tax incentives, and the operational realities of setting up.
Vietnam's VIFC: What Global Financial Institutions Must Evaluate Before 2027
Licensing pathways, tax incentives, and regulatory gaps — a practical breakdown of what banks, asset managers, and insurers need to assess before Vietnam's financial centre opens.
VIFC Personal Income Tax Exemption: What Finance Professionals Actually Keep Until 2030
Decree 324/2025/ND-CP, in force since 18 December 2025, exempts qualifying VIFC professionals from PIT on employment income until end of 2030.