Swiss firms hopeful about Vietnam’s int’l financial centre
Winzenried described Ho Chi Minh City as a natural fit for an international financial centre, citing its strong regional connectivity, a young and energetic workforce, and an increasingly business-friendly environment that has attracted a wave of technology companies.
Stefan Winzenried, founder and CEO of JANZZ.technology. (Photo: VNA)
Geneva (VNA) – Vietnam is moving to establish an international financial centre in Ho Chi Minh and Da Nang, two of its most dynamic cities, a plan that includes controlled trial for digital as꧋sets which is attracting in﷽terest from Swiss investors.
The plan, enshrined in a resolution passed by the Vietnamese National Assembly on June 27, will create regulatory sandboxes for financial technology. As part of a push to drag Vietnam’s financial system into the modern age while slashing red tape, it has been welcomed by foreign investors.
Among those closely watching is Stefan Winzenried, founder and CEO of JANZZ.technology, a Swiss tech firm. Winzenried, who opened his company’s only branch outside Zurich in Ho Chi Minh City, said he has been investing in Vietnam’s potential since he first arrived as a marketing strategist and film producer in 1992. “I’ve always been interested in Vietnam,” he told the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)’s reporter in Switzerland.
He described Ho Chi Minh City as a natural fit for an international financial centre, citing its strong regional connectivity, a young and energetic workforce, and an increasingly business-friendly environment that has attracted a wave of technology companies. The recent administrative reforms have made long-term investment more feasible, Winzenried said.
Da Nang is also emerging as a focal point for the Swiss company. Winzenried, who met with Da Nang officials in Zurich last year, praised the city’s strategic ascent.
An administrative mergence with neighbouring Quang Nam province could further elevate Da Nang’s prospects, he noted. Such a move would expand its development space, unlock land and labour resources, and strengthen supply chain links to industrial parks and seaports, potentially transforming Da Nang into a major economic engine for Vietnam.
For companies like JANZZ.technology, more streamlined governance could ease the adoption of AI-driven labour market solutions, fostering the kind of highly skilled workforce that both Da Nang and the country need to realise their financial ambitions./.
The resolution also aims to create an attractive environment for investment in the financial service sector to promote investment attraction and the free movement of international capital between the International Financial Centre and the world; develop the stock and insurance markets, banking activities, fintech, digital assets, commodities, and e-commerce in Vietnam and integrate with international markets.
The National Assembly (NA) on June 27, adopted the resolution on the International Financial Centre (IFC) in Vietnam, with 438 out of 447 legislators voting in favour, representing 91.63% of all deputies.
Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Van Phuc described the establishment of an international financial centre as a strategic move to attract global capital and elevate Vietnam’s economic position. He stressed the need for a skilled workforce trained to international standards to successfully manage the risks and opportunities of deeper financial integration.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), in the first half of 2025, Vietnam's aviation industry served 41.3 million passengers, representing a 10% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Notably, the international market accounted for 23 million passengers, up by 13%, while the domestic maintained a steady 7% growth with 18.4 million passengers.
The country’s three major network providers – Viettel, VNPT and MobiFone – have so far deployed around 11,000 5G base stations, equivalent to 7.7% of existing 4G stations. These stations now cover all provinces and cities, reaching approximately 26% of the population.
In the first half of 2025 alone, Hanoi welcomed over 15.55 million visitors, up nearly 12% year-on-year. Of these, 3.66 million were international arrivals, marking a strong increase of 21.8%.
According to the plant’s mid-year report, electricity output reached an estimated 3.79 billion kWh, achieving 115% of the target. Revenue was estimated at nearly 7.74 trillion VND (296.1 million USD), 13% above the plan, while post-tax profit was roughly 58 billion VND, thereby reducing planned losses by 114% (equivalent to 461 billion VND).
To enhance the value chain of speciality fruit commodities with its competitive advantages, Tien Giang province is operating the Hoa Loc mango production–consumption chain project for 2020-2025 with a vision towards 2030.
Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc confirmed that eliminating the presumptive tax was the right policy, as stated in the Politburo's Resolution 68-NQ/TW on private sector development.
At these meetings, the PM highlighted Vietnam’s current landscape, key development priorities, and its favourable investment and business environment. He also underscored the strong friendship between Vietnam and Brazil, particularly following the upgrade of bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership in November 2024.
The surge was largely driven by domestic revenue, which reached 373.9 trillion VND, meeting 77.5% of the yearly projection and rising 52.7% year-on-year.
Hanoi’s index of industrial production (IIP) rose by an estimated 5.9% year-on-year in the first six months of 2025, according to the city’s Statistics Office.
With over 25 years of experience in the life insurance and financial services industry across Asia, Kwon brings a strong track record of driving growth, operational excellence, and customer-centric innovation.
The service departs from Hanoi at 9:25 pm every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, and arrives in Xi’an at 1:10 am the following day. The return flight leaves Xi’an at 2:10 am every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, and lands in Hanoi at 4:10 am (local time).
Efforts should focus on attracting both foreign direct investment (FDI) and domestic investment, with priority given to high-tech and environmentally friendly projects.
A Vietnam–Bulgaria business networking event has been held at the Trakia Economic Zone (TEZ) headquarters in Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s second-largest city, aiming to strengthen trade ties and support Vietnamese businesses in accessing the Bulgarian market.
Regarding the monetary policy, the PM tasked the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) with coordinating with relevant agencies to closely monitor global and domestic economic developments and proactively, flexibly, and effectively manage the monetary policy in line with macroeconomic conditions and monetary policy objectives, as outlined in the Government’s Resolution No. 154/NQ-CP dated May 31, 2025, regular cabinet meetings’ resolutions, and the PM’s directives.
Findings from a recent business sentiment survey conducted by the NSO under the Ministry of Finance show that 37.3% of businesses expect better performance in Q3, while 43.5% forecast steady operations.
