London (VNA)🤡 – The Vietnamese Ministry of Finance hosted an investment promotion conference in the UK on September 16, drawing nearly 300 representatives from major corporations, banks, and investment funds across the UK, Vietnam, and beyond.

In his opening remarks, Finance Minister Nguyen Van Thang highlighted Vietnam’s economic momentum over the first eight months of this year, noting realised foreign direct investment (FDI) of an estimated 15.4 billion USD, up 8.8% year-on-year and the highest eight-month figure in five years. Among 74 countries and territories with newly licensed projects, the UK - Vietnam’s strategic partner and third largest European trade partner - emerged as a standout investor. As of August 2025, the VN-Index had gained 33% since the late 2024, ranking among the world’s top-performing markets. Vietnam also led ASEAN in market liquidity, with average daily trading of more than 1.1 billion USD. Brokerage accounts surpassed 10 million, or about 10% of the population, topping the target. According to him, Vietnam is steadily improving its legal framework to align with international standards and best practices, ensuring a safe, transparent and sustainable stock market. Recent reforms have streamlined access for foreign investors, with the Ministry of Finance and State Securities Commission actively engaging global financial hubs through investment promotion programmes. Vietnam’s policies prioritise transparency and fairness, fostering a “win-win” investment environment that encourages innovation while protecting investors, Thang said, making the country a sustainable, long-term destination for capital. Vietnam values its international partnerships, including with the UK, he noted, urging UK companies, funds and financial institutions, and those from Europe and worldwide, to continue expanding investment, transferring know-how, sharing management experience and advancing green finance and technology to realise Vietnam’s sustainable development vision. Attendees were briefed on Vietnam’s market potential, FDI incentives, and stock market dynamics by regulators and market participants. The event also facilitated direct dialogue, allowing international investors to voice concerns and expectations to policymakers.

Speaking to Vietnam News Agency’s reporters based in London, Craig Martin, Executive Chairman of Daynam Capital, called the current moment an exciting time to invest in Vietnam. He credited the country’s robust GDP growth over the past three decades to its reform policies and diligence, praising the Government’s stock market reforms for creating a level playing field for foreign investors and unlocking ample potential for capital inflows into private projects and public capital markets. Martin expected that the Vietnamese market, which is considered a frontier market, will soon be upgraded to an emerging market. This will be an important turning point, increasing the attractiveness of Vietnam to foreign institutional investors, helping to revalue listed Vietnamese companies, and attract Vietnamese private companies to conduct IPOs (initial public offerings) in Vietnam, and create opportunities for foreign investors to participate in these businesses through the capital market. Taking place within the framework of Thang's working visit to the UK from September 14-17, the success of the conference opened up a vision for long-term, sustainable cooperation between businesses and investors of the two countries. After the conference, bilateral meetings between Vietnamese and UK businesses were held, opening up prospects for many new investment projects, helping to bring economic and financial relations between the two countries to a new level./.