Ho Chi Minh City approves 100-year master plan for megacity development

The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council has officially approved the city’s master plan for the 2025–2050 period, establishing a 100-year vision to transform the region into a multi-polar megacity. The plan projects a population exceeding 27 million people by 2050 and aims to transition the city from a traditional growth model based on land and labor to one driven by productivity, science, technology, and high-value services.

The development is structured in three strategic stages: becoming a prominent Southeast Asian urban center by 2030, an Asian hub for economy and innovation by 2045, and a smart, modern global city beyond 2045. The urban structure will feature five growth poles, five satellite centers, and five strategic link systems to move away from a single-core model toward a multi-center network.

To support this massive expansion, the city is also moving to issue municipal and project bonds through the Vietnam International Financial Center (VIFC) to secure long-term funding for key infrastructure. This follows a period of strong economic performance, with the city reporting a GRDP increase of 9.06% in the first nine months of 2026.