Vietnam to Establish Financial Centre: AIFC Shares Expertise on Investor Climate and Capital Market Development
On 14-15 July 2025, the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) held a series of high-level engagements in Ho Chi Minh City, including a bilateral meeting with Mr Nguyen Van Duoc, Chairman of the People’s Committee, a technical workshop, and a business roundtable. The events aimed to share Kazakhstan’s expertise in developing financial centres.
Vietnam has set an ambitious goal to establish an international financial centre across Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, aiming to attract foreign investment, boost financial sector growth, and enhance global integration. Though spread across two cities, the centre will operate under a unified governance and regulatory framework.
The AIFC workshop focused on governance, institutional setup, regulation, and dispute resolution. AIFC experts shared practical insights on legal frameworks, capital markets, and the AIFC Court and International Arbitration Centre.
The roundtable, co-organised with the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, highlighted opportunities for cooperation.
H.E. Kanat Tumysh, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Vietnam, noted: “I would like to highlight the significant outcomes of the state visit by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Mr. To Lam, to Kazakhstan in May 2025. These outcomes reflect the growing strength of Kazakhstan-Vietnam bilateral relations. Several important agreements were signed to bolster ties between our two countries. Today’s event is a testament to the positive momentum that high-level exchanges have brought to our bilateral and multilateral cooperation.”
Renat Bekturov, AIFC Governor, remarked: “An increasing number of countries are now pursuing the development of financial centres as strategic platforms to attract investment, foster innovation, and strengthen their role in the global financial landscape. We extend our best wishes to Vietnam in its efforts to promote sustainable and forward-looking finance in the region and remain open to sharing our expertise and experience in building a financial centre.”
In his opening remarks, Nguyen Loc Ha, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, emphasized that the event is a clear testament to the ever-expanding relationship of friendship and cooperation between Ho Chi Minh City and the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) in particular, and Kazakhstan in general – especially in the field of finance. The parties are able to exchange ideas, align visions, and work toward deepening cooperation with practical and tangible results.
Ho Chi Minh City, contributing 23% of national GDP, is a key economic hub with strong digital transformation and infrastructure advantages. The city’s financial centre will focus on capital markets, banking, fintech, and trading platforms, while Da Nang will focus on digital assets and fund management.
City officials presented a master plan, spatial development vision, and human capital needs. AIFC leaders shared Kazakhstan’s experience, with the AIFC platform having attracted over USD 16.9 billion since 2018 and housing over 4,000 firms from 85 countries.
Bilateral trade between Kazakhstan and Vietnam reached USD 1 billion in 2024, with strong momentum in 2025. Three Vietnamese firms are already active within the AIFC.
Vietnam has set an ambitious goal to establish an international financial centre across Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, aiming to attract foreign investment, boost financial sector growth, and enhance global integration. Though spread across two cities, the centre will operate under a unified governance and regulatory framework.
The AIFC workshop focused on governance, institutional setup, regulation, and dispute resolution. AIFC experts shared practical insights on legal frameworks, capital markets, and the AIFC Court and International Arbitration Centre.
The roundtable, co-organised with the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, highlighted opportunities for cooperation.
H.E. Kanat Tumysh, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Vietnam, noted: “I would like to highlight the significant outcomes of the state visit by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Mr. To Lam, to Kazakhstan in May 2025. These outcomes reflect the growing strength of Kazakhstan-Vietnam bilateral relations. Several important agreements were signed to bolster ties between our two countries. Today’s event is a testament to the positive momentum that high-level exchanges have brought to our bilateral and multilateral cooperation.”
Renat Bekturov, AIFC Governor, remarked: “An increasing number of countries are now pursuing the development of financial centres as strategic platforms to attract investment, foster innovation, and strengthen their role in the global financial landscape. We extend our best wishes to Vietnam in its efforts to promote sustainable and forward-looking finance in the region and remain open to sharing our expertise and experience in building a financial centre.”
In his opening remarks, Nguyen Loc Ha, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, emphasized that the event is a clear testament to the ever-expanding relationship of friendship and cooperation between Ho Chi Minh City and the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) in particular, and Kazakhstan in general – especially in the field of finance. The parties are able to exchange ideas, align visions, and work toward deepening cooperation with practical and tangible results.
Ho Chi Minh City, contributing 23% of national GDP, is a key economic hub with strong digital transformation and infrastructure advantages. The city’s financial centre will focus on capital markets, banking, fintech, and trading platforms, while Da Nang will focus on digital assets and fund management.
City officials presented a master plan, spatial development vision, and human capital needs. AIFC leaders shared Kazakhstan’s experience, with the AIFC platform having attracted over USD 16.9 billion since 2018 and housing over 4,000 firms from 85 countries.
Bilateral trade between Kazakhstan and Vietnam reached USD 1 billion in 2024, with strong momentum in 2025. Three Vietnamese firms are already active within the AIFC.