A foreign fund from Malaysia suddenly appeared, holding over 1% of ACB's capital.

Specifically, Asia Commercial Joint Stock Bank ( ACB ) has just announced the list of shareholders owning more than 1% of charter capital, updated to May 21, 2025, with the notable appearance of a new name, Employees Provident Fund Board (EPF).

Currently, the Employees Provident Fund Board holds more than 45.6 million ACB shares, equivalent to 1.021% of charter capital. It is known that this organization is a large fund management company in Malaysia, operating since 1951 under the management of the country's Ministry of Finance .

Another foreign fund is a shareholder of ACB

The Employees Provident Fund Board administers the mandatory retirement savings fund for private sector employees in Malaysia, with participation being compulsory for Malaysian citizens and voluntary for foreigners.

Accordingly, the presence of EPF marks a new shift in ACB's shareholder structure, which has long lacked the presence of strategic shareholders from abroad.

Notably, according to recent information, CVC Capital Partners, a major shareholder of ACB since 2017, is considering divestment after receiving proposals from potential investors, including partners from Japan. According to research, the current value of CVC's shares in ACB could be up to 200 million USD, based on the bank's capitalization of 4 billion USD in early 2024.

With the foreign ownership ratio (foreign room) at ACB always reaching the maximum level of 30% and being a “barrier” to the participation of a strategic shareholder from abroad. Accordingly, the fact that EPF joined the list of major shareholders shows that another foreign investor may have withdrawn capital to “make room” for this organization to own more than 1% of the bank’s capital.

According to statistics from the Vietnam Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation (VSDC), as of March 13, 2025, many Vietnamese banks, including ACB and TPBank , have filled or nearly filled their foreign room. In addition, the list of shareholders holding more than 1% of ACB's capital also records many other notable names.

According to the list announced in July 2024, SMALLCAP World Fund, Inc. owns more than 112 million shares (2.51% of charter capital), Broadwalk South Limited holds nearly 82.3 million shares (1.842%), and VOF FE Holding 5 Limited holds more than 76.6 million shares (1.715%).

Meanwhile, Ms. Dang Thu Thuy, a member of the Board of Directors, owns more than 53.35 million shares (1.194%), and her related parties own up to 467 million shares, equivalent to 10.457%. Chairman of the Board of Directors Tran Hung Huy also holds 153 million shares (3.427%) and related parties own more than 367 million shares (8.218%). Prudential Vietnam Life Insurance Company Limited holds 69.46 million shares (1.555%), along with a small amount of shares from related parties.

By September 2024, ACB recorded five new shareholders, holding a total of 6.774% of charter capital, including three organizations: Giang Sen Trading Investment JSC, Bach Thanh Trading Investment JSC and Thien Huong International Education Village JSC, and two individuals Nguyen Thien Huong JENNY and Nguyen Duc Hieu JONNY. Notably, the two companies Giang Sen and Bach Thanh are related to Chairman Tran Hung Huy.

In early May 2025, two children of Ms. Ngo Thu Thuy, Chairwoman of Au Lac Joint Stock Company, increased their ownership ratio at ACB to 2.558%, and the group related to her currently holds more than 7.8% of the bank's capital./.

Source: https://baodaknong.vn/mot-quy-ngoai-tu-malaysia-bat-ngo-xuat-hien-nam-tren-1-von-acb-253414.html