Strategic boost: 2% interest rate opens the way for green growth cycle
With a clear recovery momentum and widespread confidence, Vietnamese enterprises are firmly on track to "reach the finish line" by 2025. Many comments say that GDP could reach its highest growth rate since the pandemic. In that context, the policy of supporting interest rates of 2%/year from the state budget, aimed at private enterprises, business households and individuals implementing green, circular or ESG (environment - society - governance) standard projects, is considered a strategic financial lever to help reduce costs and lead private capital flows into a sustainable development orbit.
Vietnam's economy in the first 9 months of 2025 recorded a growth rate of 7.85%, much higher than the same period last year. According to the General Statistics Office ( Ministry of Finance ), the industrial - construction sector increased by 8.69%, services increased by 8.49%, agriculture - forestry - fishery increased by 3.83%.
Regarding investment capital flows, disbursed FDI capital reached nearly 19 billion USD (up about 8.5%), net exports reached more than 16 billion USD, while the survey in the third quarter of 2025 showed that more than 80.8% of businesses were optimistic about business prospects. These figures create a solid "support of confidence" for the whole year.
However, green credit, despite its expansion, still lacks breakthroughs. By the end of March 2025, green credit balance reached about VND704,244 billion, accounting for 4.3% of the total outstanding debt of the economy (according to the State Bank). Green capital flows are present but growth is still slow compared to the potential. The main reason is that green projects often have high capital costs, high technical risks and long payback periods - barriers that make it difficult for businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, to access capital.
The 2% support level is considered a "double boost", both reducing capital costs in the initial stage and sending a clear message about stable and long-term policy.
This 2% interest rate support policy is considered the "key" to removing cost bottlenecks. Dr. Nguyen Minh Phong, an economic expert, commented that this interest rate support not only helps businesses overcome difficulties but also serves as a lever for the manufacturing sector to move closer to sustainable development. When the budget shares 2 percentage points of interest rates, financial pressure is greatly reduced, and businesses will boldly invest in clean, energy-saving technology - especially in the context of Europe applying the carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM).
The 2% support level is considered a "double boost", both reducing capital costs in the initial stage and sending a clear message about stable and long-term policies. Loans are supported from the time of disbursement until the completion of debt repayment obligations, not exceeding the contract term, helping businesses be more proactive in their financial planning.
A notable new point is the mechanism of decentralizing the budget to support interest rates to localities. People's Committees of provinces, cities, and even communes will participate in estimating and paying to eligible subjects. This model helps speed up implementation, while at the same time attaching local responsibility to monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of capital flows.
Analyzing from a market perspective, Dr. Mac Quoc Anh, Vice President and General Secretary of the Hanoi Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, proposed to quickly remove legal, infrastructure and human resource barriers. According to him, young entrepreneurs need a fair playing field to contribute. Cheap capital helps them realize green business ideas, demonstrating Vietnamese intelligence and identity in the digital economy. The Government's adoption of the State Financial Fund to implement policies is also a way to make cash flow transparent and control it more effectively than many scattered channels.
Reality from businesses shows that the policy is taking effect. Ms. Tran Thu Lan, owner of a seafood export production company in Can Tho, shared: "We have invested in energy-saving production lines and recycled wastewater treatment to meet green standards. The 2% interest rate policy is a timely support, helping businesses have more capital to improve technology." This is clear evidence of the priority given to "real green, real work" businesses.
Monitoring "greenwashing" and internal innovation: Key to sustainable destination
In reality, great opportunities come with challenges of control. The risk of "greenwashing" - the act of deliberately labeling as environmentally friendly to take advantage of incentives - has existed. When there is no unified and clear national green classification list, project appraisal still depends heavily on subjective assessment. According to Mr. Phong, if the mechanism is loose, green capital can be exploited, eroding market confidence. It is necessary to make the list of supported projects transparent so that the press and the community can monitor together.
Cheap capital helps them realize green business ideas
2025 is an opportunity for Vietnamese enterprises not only to achieve growth targets but also to build a green, competitive and sustainable economic foundation. The 2% capital flow, if managed effectively, will become a strategic tool - activating investment, promoting innovation and affirming a new production position in the global value chain. Confidence, internal strength and innovation spirit are the "keys" for the Vietnamese economy to overcome the storm and rise strongly in the new period.
Regarding this issue, a representative of the State Bank said that this agency is urgently developing a set of criteria for classifying green projects according to international standards, expected to be officially applied from the first quarter of 2026 to prevent the phenomenon of "greenwashing".
According to Mr. Anh, compliance costs such as hiring appraisal units, periodic reporting... are barriers for small businesses. Therefore, the Government needs to partially support these costs and have strict sanctions against "greenwashing" behavior. Besides support policies, the internal strength of businesses is a key factor. Hanoisme's representative emphasized that when open institutions, strong public investment and high-quality FDI capital flows are opened, businesses can make a strong breakthrough.
Finish with faith and green mission
2025 is a pivotal time for Vietnamese enterprises to not only achieve growth targets but also lay the foundation for a green, competitive and sustainable economy. In addition to policy support, the internal strength and vision of the business community play a decisive role. According to experts, a successful journey to the finish line requires enterprises to focus on three strategic factors.
First, businesses must proactively increase added value and apply technology. Although there has been certain progress, many businesses have not yet deeply participated in high-value stages in the global supply chain. Digital transformation, application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation are mandatory requirements to improve productivity and international competitiveness. Dr. Mac Quoc Anh emphasized that: "The private economy, especially SMEs, must be the core of innovation. When preferential policies are launched, businesses must quickly take advantage to invest in technology depth, avoiding growth based on cheap labor and resources."
Second, sustainable development is a survival requirement rather than an option. Businesses need to build a clear green roadmap, meeting strict environmental standards in export, especially to large markets. The government has given the green light. The rest is up to the speed of businesses and new thinking from banks. Green capital is not 'easy lending', but responsible lending, aimed at projects that create long-term value for society and the environment." This thinking forces businesses to be transparent in their operations and commit to carbon reduction.
Finally, to ensure the sustainability of the policy, it is necessary to establish complementary financial support mechanisms. Experts suggest that a Green Credit Guarantee Fund should be established soon to share risks with banks when appraising and lending for these complex projects. At the same time, there should be specific incentives for pioneering credit institutions such as reducing the required reserve ratio or prioritizing refinancing. Only when the green classification criteria are clear, procedures are streamlined and the monitoring mechanism is strict, will the 2% capital flow not only stop at restoring production but also become a strategic boost, promoting a long-term green transformation for the economy.
If effectively managed, the 2% capital flow will become a strategic tool – activating investment, promoting innovation, affirming a new production position in the global value chain. Confidence, internal strength and innovation spirit are the “keys” for the Vietnamese economy to overcome the storm, rise strongly and sustainably in the new period./.
Source: https://vtv.vn/kich-hoat-dong-von-xanh-don-bay-lai-suat-giup-doanh-nghiep-viet-ve-dich-ben-vung-100251017182210014.htm
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