Hanoi (VNA)🍬 — Vietnam is seen as entering a strategic “golden decade” of innovation and private investment, with global investors highlighting the country’s resilience and emerging role as a key growth driver in Asia.
The outlook was presented during the Vietnam Innovation and Private Capital Summit (VIPC Summit 2025) held on April 22. The event gathered hundreds of domestic and international investors, startups, and policymakers to discuss opportunities amid global uncertainty.
Despite a tightening global investment environment, Vietnam disbursed 2.3 billion USD in venture capital and private equity across 141 deals in 2024, according to a report released at the summit. The report was jointly prepared by the National Innovation Centre (NIC), the Ministry of Finance, the Vietnam Private Capital Association (VPCA), and Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
Macroeconomic indicators were highlighted as particularly strong, GDP grew 7.1% in 2024, outperforming much of Asia. Foreign direct investment (FDI) reached 25 billion USD, a 9% year-on-year increase. The middle class is projected to make up 46% of the population by 2030, and the digital economy already contributes over 18% of GDP, aiming for 35% by 2030.
This momentum, according to VPCA Chairwoman Le Hoang Uyen Vy, marks Vietnam’s transformation from a promising market to a breakout economy, driven by innovation, private capital, and forward-thinking policy.
The report emphasised Vietnam’s economic shift toward digitalization, sustainability, and high-tech industries. Notable policy measures include capital market reforms, legal frameworks for blockchain technology, and plans to establish an international financial center. These efforts aim to create a transparent investment environment and improve Vietnam’s global credit rating.
Infrastructure development is also advancing rapidly, supported by nearly 500 billion USD in FDI across key projects from global firms such as Samsung, Intel, Lego, and Foxconn. This positions Vietnam not just as a manufacturing hub but a strategic node in global supply chains.
Vietnam's macroeconomic indicators were highlighted as particularly strong, GDP grew 7.1% in 2024, outperforming much of Asia. (Photo: VNA)
NIC Director Vu Quoc Huy said Vietnam’s growth story is now closely tied to the innovation strategy with ecosystems that integrate talent, advanced technology, and global capital. This, he noted, is a crucial moment to position the country as a leading innovation-driven economy in Asia.
Private investment is considered a central pillar of Vietnam’s next development phase. The country now hosts close to 100 active investment funds, with the most dynamic coming from Singapore. Despite a 35% drop in global private capital in 2024, Vietnam’s ecosystem showed resilience, with early-stage deals under 500,000 USD rising by 73%.
Sectors attracting attention include artificial intelligence, smart agriculture, green energy, and logistics. Investment in AI startups grew eightfold compared to 2023, while AgriTech surged ninefold amid growing interest in food security and digital supply chains.
Investors say Vietnam is well positioned to shape the next wave of regional growth. BCG’s Global Financial Investment Director Ben Sheridan called this a “golden age” for private capital in Vietnam, noting rare favourable conditions for long-term investors.
Vinnie Lauria, founder of Golden Gate Ventures, which has invested in Vietnam for a decade, praised the country’s entrepreneurial talent and rising ambition. The fund manages 300 USD million in assets and has made nearly 20 investments in Vietnam, with one-third of recent deals targeting the local market.
Chad Ovel of Mekong Capital, with 25 years of experience in Vietnam, emphasized the importance of showcasing Vietnam as a dynamic destination for global investors. He said forums like VIPC help put Vietnam “on the financial map” and strengthen connections between regional and in-country investors.
As Vietnam advances through this critical decade, innovation and private capital are expected to be the dual engines propelling the country toward becoming a regional economic leader./.
The Ministry of Science and Technology, UNDP in Vietnam, and UNDP SDG Impact co-hosted a conference in Hanoi last week with policymakers, experts, investors, and businesses to explore barriers and opportunities to unlocking private investment to accelerate the development of science and technology (sci-tech) and innovation in Vietnam.
The National Assembly (NA)’s Standing Committee on May 14 afternoon deliberated on a draft resolution aimed at unleashing the potential of the private sector, with NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man underscoring the State’s support in legal frameworks, digital transformation, and innovation for the sector’s growth.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Minh Vu led a delegation to Mondulkiri, Ratanakiri, and Kratie provinces from August 5-8, aiming to deepen economic ties and support Vietnamese businesses operating in Cambodia’s northeastern region.
Party General Secretary To Lam’s upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) is expected to mark a new milestone in the bilateral relationship, creating fresh momentum for trade and investment cooperation between the two countries.
In the context of the growing global digital economy, digital transformation and the promotion of e-commerce are key drivers helping Vietnam boost integration, enhance competitiveness, and expand export markets, according to the Vietnam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency
Tilapia is considered highly competitive in export markets thanks to its affordability, ease of processing, and appeal across both high-end and mass-market segments.
In the first seven months of the year, Phu Tho attracted an impressive 651.7 million USD in foreign direct investment, including 35 newly licensed projects totaling 119 million USD in registered capital and 45 existing projects with an additional capital of 533 million USD.
Under the agreements, VinEnergo will invest in, install, and operate 43 MWp of rooftop solar power capacity and 45 MWh of BESS capacity across the three plants.
Under a draft to amend and supplement the Government's Decree 125/2020/ND-CP on administrative sanctions for violations of tax and invoice regulations, the Ministry of Finance has proposed classifying the failure to issue invoices into five different levels. Infraction levels will correspond to fines of 1 million VND to 80 million VND, depending on the nature and number of invoicing violations.
A new airline developed and invested by Sun Group — has officially announced a strategic partnership with Amadeus IT Group (Amadeus), one of the world’s leading travel technology companies. This agreement not only lays the foundation for a modern digital infrastructure but also marks a pivotal step in SPA’s global expansion strategy, enabling the airline to access international distribution networks and reach customers worldwide.
Of the total, 107,700 were new firms, with combined registered capital of 928.4 trillion VND (35.4 billion USD), up 10.6% in number and 5.5% in capital compared with the same period last year.
Experts agree that a combination of technology, enforcement, education and cross-border cooperation is essential to protect copyrighted content in Vietnam’s growing digital ecosystem.
Poland is Vietnam’s largest export market in Central and Eastern Europe, with key staples including seafood, textiles, footwear, coffee, and cashew nuts.
Cashless payments are growing at an impressive rate, averaging 30–40% annually. Vietnam’s per capita cashless transaction volume now trails only China, with total value of 295.2 quadrillion VND (11.26 trillion USD), or 26 times of its GDP.
A draft resolution on piloting a digital asset and cryptocurrency market is being developed, aiming to create a broad-enough regulatory sandbox that enables investor participation and provides practical grounds for policy refinement in areas such as risk management and anti-money laundering.
Viettel was ranked third for overall mobile performance with a score of 82.56 just behind UEA’s e& (88.05) and Quatar’s Ooredoo (87.05) and ahead of Singapore’s Singtel (82.53). Vinaphone took second in 5G speed with a score of 78.11, trailing only behind e&.
