Speaking at the conference, Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang noted that Vietnam’s economy continued to show positive signs in the first eight months of 2025. During this period, disbursed foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnam was estimated at US$15.4 billion, an increase of 8.8 percent compared to the same period last year. This marks the highest level of FDI disbursement for the first eight months of a year over the past five years.
Notably, among the 74 countries and territories with newly licensed investment projects in Vietnam during the first eight months of the year, the United Kingdom stands out as a strategic partner, a key investor, and currently Vietnam’s third-largest trading partner in the European market.
The Minister also noted that, alongside the growth in FDI inflows, Vietnam’s foreign indirect investment (FII) has made significant strides and shows strong potential, thanks to the impressive development of the country’s stock market.
The total capitalization of Vietnam’s stock market, including both equities and bonds, has reached 103.75 percent of the estimated 2024 GDP. The market currently comprises around 1,600 listed and registered companies, including seven with market capitalizations exceeding US$10 billion and 61 companies with market capitalizations above US$1 billion.
As of August 2025, the VN-Index had risen by 33 percent compared to the end of the previous year, making it one of the fastest-growing stock markets in the world. Vietnam’s stock market now leads the ASEAN region in terms of liquidity, with an average daily trading value exceeding US$1.1 billion. The number of securities accounts has surpassed 10 million, equivalent to 10 percent of the population, exceeding the national target.
Minister Nguyen Van Thang emphasized that Vietnam is steadily improving its legal framework to align with international standards, ensuring the safe, transparent, and sustainable development of its securities market.
In recent years, significant reforms have been implemented to facilitate greater participation by foreign investors. The Ministry of Finance and the State Securities Commission have also actively launched a series of investment promotion programs, engaging in direct dialogue with the global financial community in major financial centers.
Minister Nguyen Van Thang stressed that Vietnam places great importance on international cooperation, with the United Kingdom being a strategic partner that has closely collaborated across many key sectors.
He called on the British business community, investment funds, and financial institutions, as well as those from Europe and around the world, to continue expanding their investments in Vietnam, promoting knowledge transfer, sharing governance expertise, and advancing technology and green finance. Such efforts would contribute meaningfully to realizing Vietnam’s long-term vision for sustainable development.
