Vietnam State Bank Tightens Real Estate Credit Monitoring and Boosts Digital Payment Security

The State Bank of Vietnam (NHNN) has issued a circular to 25 credit institutions permitting the exclusion of incremental loan balances for social housing, industrial zones and export processing zones from the overall real‑estate credit growth cap for 2026. The move aims to channel credit toward productive sectors while keeping total credit growth in line with each bank’s overall expansion, and it calls for stronger supervision, cash‑flow‑based lending assessments, and enhanced data sharing among banks, land and tax authorities.

At a June 6, 2025 conference on smart payments, Deputy Governor Phạm Thanh Hà outlined the bank’s plan to improve security, safety and customer protection in online and card transactions. He set targets to raise the value of non‑cash payments to 30 times GDP by 2030, citing a 2025 level already around 28 times GDP. The strategy includes refining legal frameworks, upgrading payment infrastructure, fostering innovative payment services, and expanding financial‑literacy programs. In the first four months of 2026, non‑cash transaction volumes rose 36 % and values 10.7 % year‑on‑year, with notable growth in internet, mobile and QR‑code channels, while ATM usage continued to decline.