Vietnam Shifts FDI Strategy and Opens Banking Sector
Vietnam is prioritizing high-quality foreign investment ecosystems over capital volume while easing foreign ownership limits in its banking sector to drive economic growth.
The Government of Vietnam is implementing a strategic shift in its approach to foreign direct investment, moving away from a focus on capital volume toward the development of a high-quality FDI ecosystem. Under Politburo Resolution No.10-NQ/TW and Government Resolution No.280/NQ-CP, the state now prioritizes high technology, green technology, and stronger linkages between foreign-invested enterprises and domestic businesses to improve technology transfer and workforce development.
This policy change follows strong investment growth, with registered FDI reaching nearly $50.4 billion in the first nine months of 2026. Pham Van Hoanh, editor-in-chief of Vietnam Investment Review, noted that the resolution represents a transition from attracting individual projects to building an ecosystem that prioritizes quality, efficiency, and added value for the economy.
Simultaneously, the government is liberalizing the banking sector to meet Basel III requirements by 2030 and fuel economic expansion. Vietnamese banks are planning share sales totaling nearly $7 billion, with some lenders receiving permission to raise foreign ownership limits to 49%. Among these, Vietcombank plans to sell 6.5% of its shares for approximately $1.2 billion by the end of 2026, while the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam intends to sell nearly 11% of its shares for $1.4 billion by the end of next year.
