On the morning of February 11, 2026, the Vietnam International Finance Center in Ho Chi Minh City (VIFC-HCMC) was officially launched with the participation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, leaders from the Central Government and Ho Chi Minh City, along with numerous financial institutions and domestic and foreign investors.

This event marks a significant step in the development of Vietnam’s International Financial Center, moving from policy and direction to a concrete operational structure.

Elevating the nation’s position to co-create regional and international financial markets.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that, in the context of a rapidly changing world, increasing strategic competition, and strong shifts in capital flows, Vietnam needs to build an independent and self-reliant economy linked to deep, substantive, and effective integration.

According to the Prime Minister, the establishment of an International Financial Center is a strategic choice and a necessary step to attract and direct capital flows into strategic infrastructure, foundational industries, logistics, green transformation, and digital transformation; while also providing modern financial tools for Vietnamese businesses to participate more deeply in the global value chain, gradually elevating the nation’s position from receiving capital to co-creating regional and international financial markets.

 

The inauguration ceremony of the headquarters of the International Finance Centre in Ho Chi Minh City.

 

At the event, the constituent bodies of VIFC-HCMC were officially launched, including: the VIFC-HCMC Executive Office, the Specialized Court at VIFC-HCMC, and the International Arbitration Center at VIFC-HCMC; the VIFC-HCMC website was inaugurated; and certificates for founding members and strategic members of VIFC-HCMC were awarded.

The organizing committee awarded founding member certificates of the Vietnam International Finance Center to 11 organizations, including HD Finance – Banking Group (HDFG), Sovico, and prestigious institutions such as Nasdaq (USA), VinaCapital, MB, SonKim Capital, etc.

 

The organizing committee presented certificates of commitment to founding members of the Vietnam International Finance Center.

 

Belief – The core element of success

Speaking at the event, Labor Hero – Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, Standing Vice Chairman of HDBank, Chairman of Vietjet, shared her perspective gleaned from over three decades of cooperation with leading financial centers such as London, New York, Dublin, Hong Kong, Dubai… According to her, the core factor determining the success of a financial center lies not in the scale of capital, but in trust.

“Trust in stable and predictable institutions; trust in modern financial and technological infrastructure; and trust in people, in a transparent and honest business culture. When trust is built, capital will not only come, but will stay and accompany the economy in the long term,” emphasized Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao.

This message was highly appreciated by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, who considered it a foundation for the sustainable development of the Vietnam International Finance Center. The government leader also acknowledged the encouraging initial results, including the fact that the Asia-Pacific Aviation Finance Center, announced by VIFC-HCMC and Vietjet at the Singapore Airshow 2026, has raised over US$6 billion in its initial phase.

 

Speaking at the event, Labor Hero – Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao emphasized that the core factor determining the success of a financial center lies not in the scale of capital, but in trust.

 

In her speech, Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao affirmed that Ho Chi Minh City is a natural convergence point for large-scale financial activities, thanks to its robust ecosystem of logistics, aviation, trade, and technology. In particular, aviation finance is identified as a strategic pillar, connecting global capital flows with Vietnam’s key economic sectors.

 

Asia Pacific Aviation Finance Centre in Singapore

 

At the Singapore Airshow 2026, Vietjet, along with its international partners, announced the establishment of the Asia Pacific Aviation Finance Centre in Ho Chi Minh City, with the support of Boeing, Airbus, Pratt & Whitney, CFM, Rolls-Royce, and the International Air Transport Association (IATA). This is concrete evidence of the potential for linkages between new financial institutions and global value chains.

As a long-term investor in Ho Chi Minh City, Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao affirmed that Sovico, HDFG, HDBank , Vietjet, and their member companies will continue to connect international capital flows, implement new financial models, promote digital transformation, green finance, inclusive finance, and develop high-quality financial and technology human resources.

The launch of the Vietnam International Finance Centre in Ho Chi Minh City therefore not only has institutional significance but also reflects a shift in development thinking: from attracting capital to building trust; from opening markets to building a foundation for long-term capital flows.

In the context of increasingly deep integration, the message of trust and international standards emphasized at the launch ceremony contributes to positioning Ho Chi Minh City as a gradually emerging financial center on the regional map – not only in terms of scale, but also in terms of institutional quality and strategic vision.

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