Vietnam to outpace most of the world in creating new rich families: study
The number of Vietnam’s rich households with financial assets of US$100,000 to US$2 million is expected to reach 347,000 by 2020, a study shows.
This represents an annual growth rate of 35% from 2014 to 2020, placing Vietnam third among 32 nations covered in the Economist Intelligence Unit research sponsored by Citi.
By 2020, the total financial assets in Vietnam’s rich households should reach $68 billion as each would have the average asset of US$196,000, according to the study.
The study, released in late March, says this group, dubbed “the new wealth builders” or NWB, is the world’s fastest growing wealth segment.
India took the top spot in producing wealthy households as the number of NWB households in this country is expected to jump by 47% in 2014 through 2020, to 4.9 million households each with US$178,000 in average financial assets.
The study predicted robust economic expansion in Vietnam through 2018, at 35%. Analysts foresee a steady acceleration in private consumption growth that will shake off the effects of the spiraling inflation of 2011-2012.
As Asian consumers spend, large populations spur regional economic growth. At present, the number of NWB households in emerging markets is overshadowed by the NWB cohort in developed markets, 97 million versus 171 million, respectively.
But after 2020, emerging market NWBs will outnumber their peers in mature markets, the study said.
"NWBs represent an increasingly important phenomenon in the world economy, driving growth in savings and economic activity more generally,” said Jonathan Larsen, Citi global head of retail banking and head of consumer banking in Asia Pacific. “They are typically self-made, socially conscious and sharply focused on growth.”