Vietnam Accelerates Science, Tech and Investment Initiatives in 2026

Vietnamese Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng issued Directive No. 29/CT‑TTg ordering ministries and local authorities to speed up science, technology, innovation and digital‑transformation programmes in 2026, demanding full budget disbursement by year‑end and tighter oversight of implementation.

The government also announced a target to raise about $204 billion through the stock market between 2026 and 2030 – more than twice the amount raised in the previous five‑year period – to fund long‑term capital needs. In parallel, Vietnam’s equity market attracted net foreign buying of roughly $13 billion on the day of the report, with strong inflows into shares such as VIC, ACB and VHM.

A free‑trade agreement with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is set to be signed in late 2026, expanding market access for Vietnamese firms and giving European investors greater entry to Vietnam’s economy. FTSE Russell’s upgrade of Vietnam to a secondary emerging‑market status is expected to draw additional foreign capital.

Bank‑led consumer finance continued to outpace finance‑company growth in 2025, reflecting a shift toward higher‑quality lending as the real‑estate market recovered. Global FDI flows are increasingly focused on high‑tech sectors such as AI, semiconductors and data‑centre infrastructure, with Vietnam seeking to capture a larger share of this capital.

Together, these measures underscore Vietnam’s drive to strengthen its innovation capacity, deepen its capital markets and attract diversified foreign investment as part of its broader economic strategy for 2026‑2030.