I was honored to visit Da Nang at a historic moment for Vietnam ’s financial sector as the Vietnam International Financial Centre (VIFC) was formally established and launched in December 2025.
What stood out during this visit was how the VIFC’s design reflects international-standard elements of credible global financial centres, demonstrating serious intent and structural alignment with global investor expectations.
Unified governance and legal clarity are foundational. The IFC is defined as a single legal entity with uniform rules, standards, and operating regulations applied across both hubs. This coherence is critical for predictable legal frameworks and cross-market participation by global institutions.
Investor protection and governance architecture are also embedded in the VIFC framework via an Executive Council and supervisory mechanisms designed at the national level rather than as provincial add-ons. These features of consistent procedures, predictable oversight, and formal governance bodies, are essential attributes expected by international capital markets.
The framework includes regulatory sandbox principles that enable controlled innovation in areas like fintech, digitalassets, and emerging financial services.
Market access standards within the legal foundation also align with global expectations. Eligibility and incentives are structured to accommodate a broad range of financial participants, from traditional banking and securities firms to asset managers and fintech service providers, with regulatory pathways that support cross-border activity and responsible market entry.
I felt especially privileged to engage directly with IFC leaders, promoters, and international contributors connected with the VIFC launch and policy work at this early stage, such as Oscar Njuguna, Standing Vice-Chairman Ho Ky Minh, and Deputy Head Investment Promotion Division Phạm Nguyễn Hoàng Yên.
I’m also pleased to share that the Da Nang hub of the VIFC will be represented at Davos during the WEF, reinforcing Vietnam’s intention to bring its IFC agenda into global financial and policy dialogues and attract international participation.
It was truly inspiring to witness and participate in the early stages of what promises to be a globally connected, innovation-oriented, and investor-ready financial infrastructure with strong potential to deepen Vietnam’s integration into global capital markets, clearly acknowledging however that the real work and development lie ahead.
