Speaking at the launch ceremony, PM Chinh stressed that the establishment of the international financial centre is a “strategic and inevitable step” as global financial flows are being restructured and increasingly shift toward emerging markets.

“The financial centre is not merely a place where capital is concentrated, it is soft infrastructure for the economy, playing a pivotal role in allocating resources, providing modern financial instruments and enhancing national competitiveness,” he said.

The launch of the Vietnam International Financial Centre – Ho Chi Minh City also reflects Vietnam’s determination to build a modern, transparent financial ecosystem capable of connecting global capital with the real economy, particularly high-quality growth drivers, he added.

At the ceremony, city authorities unveiled the centre’s development framework, which will focus on several strategic pillars, including aviation finance, maritime finance, commodity trading, high-tech clearing and settlement systems, fintech and digital banking, green and sustainable finance, as well as modern financial market infrastructure aligned with international standards.

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Van Duoc said the city is committed to operating the centre with a results-oriented approach.

“From the outset, we have adopted the principle of ‘real thinking, real action, real operation and real outcomes’,” Duoc said, adding that the centre must deliver tangible economic value rather than remain a conceptual model.

Although officially inaugurated this week, VIFC-HCMC has already recorded several early achievements, including commitments of US$6.1 billion for aviation finance projects, US$2 billion mobilised for smart urban data and financial infrastructure, and the establishment of an on-chain economy investment fund with pledged capital of US$1 billion, according to city officials.

Vietnam sees the international financial centre as a long-term initiative to strengthen Ho Chi Minh City’s role as a gateway for global finance, while supporting the country’s transition toward faster and more sustainable growth in the next development phase. 

Ho Chi Minh City showcases Vietnam International Financial Centre at WEF Davos

As competition among global financial hubs intensifies, Ho Chi Minh City is moving to carve out a distinct position with a “latecomer but different” strategy, placing institutional reform and innovation at the heart of its competitiveness.