Receiving Vietnamese Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang at the LSE headquarters in London on September 15, LSE CEO Julia Hoggett praised the strong reforms undertaken by the Vietnamese Government and the Ministry of Finance in recent years to meet the upgrade criteria set by FTSE Russell.

She emphasised that LSE stands ready to share its expertise and strengthen cooperation with the State Securities Commission of Vietnam and other relevant agencies to remove bottlenecks, improve the regulatory framework, and enhance transparency and global integration.

According to Hoggett, LSE will serve as an important gateway connecting Vietnam’s stock market with global investors. The LSE leadership also pledged to support Vietnam in developing new products such as green bonds and derivatives, while assisting with capacity-building and the application of modern financial technologies.

For his part, Minister Thang highlighted the country’s robust economic performance in the first eight months of 2025, with GDP growth expanding 7.96% in the second quarter, foreign direct investment (FDI) commitments totalling US$26.1 billion (up 27.3%), and trade turnover rising 16.3% to US$598 billion.

By the end of August, Vietnam’s stock market capitalization had reached nearly US$352 billion (equivalent to 79.5% of estimated 2024 GDP), with liquidity improving significantly and several sessions exceeding US$3 billion in trading value.

The Minister stressed that the Vietnamese Government has issued a series of synchronised policies to remove barriers and facilitate greater foreign participation in the stock market.

“So far, Vietnam has made strong efforts to meet FTSE’s upgrade criteria. We have introduced bold reforms and decisive measures, including the simultaneous issuance of policies and mechanisms with immediate effect, in order to promptly create favourable conditions for foreign capital to engage in the local stock market,” said Thang.

According to the Minister, Vietnam looks forward to closer cooperation with LSE in key areas such as legal framework development, by adopting international standards for corporate governance and disclosure, advancing ESG practices, diversifying financial products, and promoting investment, he said.

In addition, Vietnam hopes to acquire experience in training, raising market awareness, strengthening the capacity of financial and securities professionals, and applying financial technologies (Fintech, AI, Blockchain) to help improve market efficiency.

“With the close cooperation and support from LSE, Vietnam’s stock market will soon achieve its upgrade target, becoming an attractive destination for global capital flows and contributing positively to the development of our financial sector and the broader economy,” affirmed the Minister.

On this occasion, Thang extended an invitation to Hoggett and other leaders of LSE and FTSE Russell to visit Vietnam to gain further valuable insights into the development, potential, and investment opportunities of its stock market.

At the working session, representatives of the Vietnam Stock Exchange (VNX) and the FTSE International Limited (FTSE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), establishing a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening Vietnam’s capital market infrastructure and promoting international integration.

Vietnam approves plan to upgrade stock market status

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh recently issued a decision, giving a go-head for a project to upgrade the stock market, aiming at transforming it into an important channel for medium- and long-term capital mobilisation, completion of a market mechanism with state management, and deeper international integration.