This trend underscores the city's emergence as a premier destination for technology-focused foreign direct investment (FDI), as global corporations accelerate the restructuring of their investment chains and scout for new growth hubs across Asia.
Global tech giants land in the City
According to Head Nguyen Ky Phung of the Ho Chi Minh City High-Tech Park (SHTP) Management Board, the new investment wave centers heavily on core digital economy pillars. These include data centers, AI, semiconductors, and research and development (R&D).
In late April 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee granted investment registration certificates to four high-tech projects at SHTP with a total capital exceeding US$1.23 billion. This includes two hyperscale data center projects worth nearly US$1 billion, including the Evolution DC VN HCMC Data Center project by Singaporean consortium Hathor, Frontier, and Evolution Data Centers; and the Starmason Data Center Complex by Starmason Joint Stock Company. These projects aim to build the infrastructure foundation for AI, cloud computing, and big data processing in the city.
CEO Darren Webb of the Evolution DC VN HCMC Data Center Project noted that while industrial parks previously competed using labor and land, data infrastructure has now become the deciding factor for economic competitiveness. Investing in large-scale data centers here establishes a digital infrastructure platform for a new growth phase.
International technology corporations are also expanding their footprint. China's Techtronic Industries (TTI) invested an additional US$81 million into the Techtronic Tools Vietnam factory at SHTP, raising its total investment to over US$730 million. The project manufactures smart electronic devices, IoT-integrated mechatronics, high-performance lithium batteries, and precision circuit boards to build a "Make in Vietnam" high-tech supply chain.
Previously, Ho Chi Minh City recorded major investment commitments from the UAE's G42 Group, which plans to invest around US$2 billion in data centers. Meanwhile, Intel from the US is considering moving a portion of its operations from Costa Rica to Ho Chi Minh City to manufacture high-performance computing chips.
This capital shift shows clearly in the city's FDI figures. By early June 2026, Ho Chi Minh City attracted over US$6.6 billion in FDI, reaching 60 percent of its 2026 annual plan. Cumulatively, the city hosts over 20,800 valid FDI projects with a total registered capital of approximately US$142 billion from 152 countries and territories. Most new projects focus on high-tech sectors, indicating a shift from broad capital attraction to high-technology and high-value-added projects.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Finance, total registered foreign direct investment (FDI) in the city reached over US$6.6 billion as of June 1. This figure encompassing new projects, capital adjustments, and capital contributions or share purchases represents approximately 60 percent of the city’s 2026 FDI target.
Two major projects have recently finalized their licensing procedures and were formally recorded:
Evolution DC VN HCMC Joint Stock Company: A new project with an investment of over US$508 million. It was finalized on March 30.
Berjaya Vietnam International University Township: An existing project that completed a capital adjustment, increasing by US$2.8 billion, on June 1.
Director Hoang Vu Thanh of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Finance noted that several significant projects are currently in the pipeline. These include the Can Gio International Transshipment Port (US$4.9 billion); an additional US$2.2 billion for the Nha Be Metrocity GS project; a US$1.2 billion capital increase for the smart complex in functional zone 2a of the Thu Thiem New Urban Area and a $2.1 billion AI data center in the Tan Phu Trung Industrial Park.
If these projects successfully complete all regulatory procedures, the city’s total FDI for 2026 could reach approximately US$17 billion, effectively achieving 154.5 percent of the annual target.
HCMC pivots to proactive strategy to become global high-tech hub
Explaining this trend during a recent meeting with a business delegation from China's Zhejiang Province, Permanent Vice Chairman Nguyen Loc Ha of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee stated that the city is finalizing specific mechanisms, including a proposed Special Urban Law, to raise competitiveness and attract high-quality FDI projects. The city is building a transparent investment environment with international-standard technical infrastructure alongside support policies for strategic investors.
Regarding future high-tech investment orientation, Head Nguyen Ky Phung of the Ho Chi Minh City High-Tech Park (SHTP) Management Board noted that the city prioritizes microchips, semiconductors, AI, IoT, blockchain, robotics, 5G technology, data centers, and smart cities. The city plans to develop around 3,800 hectares of smart technology zones and over 1,000 hectares of concentrated IT and digital technology zones. It will also promote a triple-helix model linking government, academia, and enterprises to train a high-quality workforce for strategic tech sectors.
Ho Chi Minh City has entered a new phase of investment attraction by proactively approaching top global tech corporations instead of waiting for businesses to arrive. Alongside shortening administrative processing times, the city implements incentives for taxes, land rentals, high-tech equipment imports, and R&D support to enhance its appeal to global tech conglomerates.
