Under the decision, lending interest rates will be reduced by 2 percent per year, applying to loans at the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies during the period from October 1, 2025, through December 3. The interest-rate reduction policy will be implemented for the same duration.
Eligible beneficiaries include borrowers under policy credit programs prescribed by the Prime Minister, encompassing both organizations and individuals, in four provinces, including Khanh Hoa, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, and Lam Dong, that were among the hardest hit by typhoon Kalmaegi.
The Vietnam Bank for Social Policies is tasked with proactively balancing its operating costs to implement the interest-rate reduction within the limits of the 2025 budget allocated for interest-rate subsidies and management fees. The bank will also be accountable to the Government for the accuracy of reported data while ensuring operational safety and maintaining credit quality.
Earlier, as reported by Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper, on November 25, the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) issued Official Dispatch No. 10328/NHNN-TD, calling on credit institutions to adopt support measures for customers in areas damaged by storms and flooding.
Under the directive, credit institutions, foreign bank branches, and SBV regional branches in areas 8, 9, 10, and 11 were instructed to continue implementing solutions to ease difficulties for customers affected by typhoons Fengshen and Kalmaegi, as well as by heavy rains and flooding in October and November 2025. The directive expanded coverage to additional localities, including Khanh Hoa, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, and Lam Dong.
According to Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam, Pham Thanh Ha, official figures show that storms and post-storm flooding since July 2025 have affected around 250,000 customers, with outstanding loans totaling nearly VND60 trillion (US$2.3 billion).
Based on a proposal from the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies, the Prime Minister on December 4 signed Decision No. 2654/QD-TTg, stipulating a 2 percent annual reduction in lending interest rates in three months for customers affected by storms and flooding.
An estimated three million customers across 22 provinces and cities are expected to benefit from the measure, with total interest support for borrowers projected to exceed VND1.1 trillion (US$41.7 million).
For Typhoon Kalmaegi, which caused damage in the four provinces of Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Lam Dong, and Khanh Hoa, the 2 percentage-point reduction in lending interest rates from the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies is expected to be applied to nearly one million affected customers, with the total interest support estimated at close to VND 300 billion (US$11.4 million).
According to a representative of the State Bank of Vietnam, in implementing the Government’s directives, the State Bank of Vietnam has acted proactively, decisively, and promptly, with the highest sense of responsibility, to roll out support measures for individuals and businesses whose loans were affected. These efforts include targeted programs and credit packages offering interest rates lower than prevailing lending rates to help restore production and business activities.
As a result, credit institutions have rescheduled loan repayments for numerous customers and reduced interest rates by 0.5–2 percent per year for a period of 3–6 months for nearly 24,000 clients with outstanding loans of around VND14 trillion (US$531.5 million). They have also launched post-storm recovery lending programs with preferential interest rates totaling approximately VND70 trillion (US$2.7 billion) to support the resumption of production and business activities.
To date, these institutions have disbursed nearly VND1.5 trillion (US$57 million) to about 6,500 borrowers. Specifically, in the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sectors, approximately VND600 billion (US$22.8 million) has been lent to around 4,000 customers.
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