Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visits the Johannesburg Stock Exchange

Photo caption — Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visits and opens a trading session at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA

The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) is the largest stock exchange in Africa and ranks approximately 19-20th in the world in terms of market capitalization. As of October 2025, the JSE stock market capitalization is approximately 23 trillion South African rand (ZAR), equivalent to approximately $1,250 billion, with 435 listed companies; the average monthly trading value is approximately $6-7 billion.

Established in 1887, the JSE plays a central role in the South African economy , facilitating capital raising for businesses, promoting employment and creating investment value. The JSE is not only a symbol of African financial development but also an important bridge for global investors, especially in the mining and resources sector.

JSE not only has a Main Market for large companies, but also a floor for small and medium-sized enterprises with high growth potential. Besides stocks, JSE also offers a range of complex financial products such as derivatives such as securities, currencies, commodities, etc. and is the largest listed debt market in Africa. This is the model that Vietnam wants to learn to increase the depth of the capital market.

Working with Dr. Leila Fourie, General Director of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said that the Vietnamese stock market has just been upgraded from a frontier market to a secondary emerging market. Vietnam is building an international financial center in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang. Therefore, Vietnam wishes to cooperate and share management experience to develop the market in a healthy, transparent, stable and sustainable manner.

Along with that, Vietnam continues to maintain macroeconomic stability, control inflation, ensure major economic balances, economic growth in 2025 is estimated to reach over 8% and determine the target of double-digit growth in the coming years.

With the goal of developing a healthy, transparent, stable and sustainable stock market, the Prime Minister suggested that the two sides prioritize cooperation and experience sharing to develop products and the stock market; build an international financial center in Vietnam; promote digital transformation; promote indirect investment capital flows; as well as support the development and operation of real estate and gold trading floors, etc.

The General Director of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange expressed his honor to welcome the Prime Minister and the Vietnamese delegation to visit; highly appreciated the socio-economic development achievements, especially the impressive growth rate of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Vietnam; and said that South Africa and Vietnam have many similarities.

Ms. Leila Fourie emphasized that the capital market will play a fundamental role in promoting growth, the General Director of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange said that he is ready to implement the cooperation activities that the Prime Minister has commented on.