Attracting strategic investors to the international financial center

Ho Chi Minh City has received great attention from investors to develop an international financial center. Photo: Le Toan

Investors "on the verge"

Resolution No. 222/2025/QH15 on the development of an international financial center in Vietnam has been officially signed by National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, with many breakthrough and competitive mechanisms and policies. Effective from September 1, 2025, the Resolution will pave the way for the establishment of an international financial center in Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang .

In addition to having to prepare issues regarding land, planning, infrastructure, human resources, etc., one of the leading factors determining the success or failure of financial centers is how to attract investors, especially strategic investors.

The positive news is that recently, many foreign investors have expressed interest in investing in an international financial center in Vietnam. After investing in a $1.5 billion project in Hung Yen , the Trump Organization expressed its desire to invest in a project in Thu Thiem - the area planned to develop an international financial center in Ho Chi Minh City.

A high-level delegation from the Trump Organization has had meetings with Ho Chi Minh City leaders and conducted field surveys to find a suitable location for the Trump Tower project - a complex of a shopping mall, luxury apartments, a 5-star hotel and offices for lease. The Trump Organization is also eyeing Da Nang, the second location chosen to develop an international financial center in Vietnam.

According to a recent report by the People's Committee of Da Nang City, Da Nang has received great interest and commitment from more than 10 investors. Among them, a consortium of 3 investors Makara Capital, Terne Holding and Trump Organization wishes to be selected as a strategic investor to develop the Vietnam International Financial Center in Da Nang.

Makara Capital Partner is one of Singapore's leading corporations in the field of fund management, asset investment and providing innovative financial solutions. In a meeting with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in early July 2025, Mr. Ali Ijaz Ahmad, Chairman and General Director of Makara Capital Partner, said that the Group has researched the Vietnamese market "very carefully" and "believes" in Vietnam's strategic orientations, vision and development aspirations.

Accordingly, in addition to the Pharmaceutical - Biological Industrial Park Project in Thai Binh (now Hung Yen) with a scale of nearly 300 hectares, Makara Capital Partner wishes to participate in restructuring Vietnamese banks, especially participating in building an international financial center in Vietnam... The ability to call for and mobilize capital for this plan, according to Mr. Ali Ijaz Ahmad, is about 5-7 billion USD, a not small amount.

Previously, in March 2025, during a meeting with the leaders of Swire Group - one of the leading corporations in the UK, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh expressed his wish for Swire to participate in building Vietnam's international financial center in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.

Swire is the group that invested in the Empire City Project in Thu Thiem, considered the “heart” of the international financial center of Ho Chi Minh City. Swire leaders have committed to continue contributing to the development planning of this area.

It is important to find strategic investors.

Investors’ interest in the plan to develop an international financial center is real. However, the question is when will these plans be realized and how can Vietnam attract strategic investors in this field?

There is an interesting piece of information shared by Mr. Nguyen Van Quang, Secretary of the Da Nang City Party Committee, in a recent meeting with voters. According to Mr. Quang, a financial center is not just “an office” for financial transactions, but must be “a living ecosystem” for investors to come and feel that this is a place worth living and investing.

The purpose of building an international financial center is to attract international capital flows to serve three strategic breakthroughs, traditional growth drivers and new growth drivers; develop high-end financial services, test and manage new markets posed by practice.

- Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang

In addition to a living ecosystem, to develop international financial centers, an ecosystem of investors is also needed. That is, the important thing is not only to build infrastructure for international financial centers, but also to attract investors to set up headquarters in Vietnam.

The two Vietnamese financial centers in Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City have been clearly positioned. While the financial center in Ho Chi Minh City is expected to develop capital markets, banks, develop testing mechanisms (sandboxes) for fintech, specialized trading floors, etc., the financial center in Da Nang will be a place to test new models such as green finance, sustainable finance, financial technology, digital services, etc.

Thus, the target must be at least the world's leading financial corporations, investment funds..., how to develop an attractive ecosystem for the development of digital finance, digital assets, fintech applications...

When authorized by the Prime Minister to submit to the National Assembly the Draft Resolution of the National Assembly on the international financial center in Vietnam, Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang affirmed that the formation of an international financial center will help Vietnam connect with global financial markets and attract foreign financial institutions.

“The purpose of building an international financial center is to attract international capital flows to serve three strategic breakthroughs, traditional growth drivers and new growth drivers; develop high-end financial services, test and manage new markets as posed by reality,” said Minister Nguyen Van Thang.

To attract international investment capital, many breakthrough and specific institutions and policies have been built and issued, including preferential policies on corporate income tax, personal income tax, as well as other specific policies for strategic investors, such as being given priority in choosing to implement important investment projects to develop infrastructure and services to support international financial centers, etc.

The above policies, according to Ms. Tran Thi Thuy Ngoc, Deputy General Director, Financial Services Industry Leader, Deloitte Vietnam, have demonstrated “a comprehensive, bold but realistic vision” for the development of an international financial center in Vietnam.

The policy is in place, now is the time to start preparing and implementing, including promoting investment to attract international investors to Vietnam.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/thu-hut-nha-dau-tu-chien-luoc-vao-trung-tam-tai-chinh-quoc-te-d331846.html