Vietnam Stock Market Set for 'Secondary Emerging Market' Upgrade by FTSE Russell

Vietnam's stock market is slated to officially attain 'Secondary Emerging Market' status under FTSE Russell's classification framework on September 21. This upgrade signifies international recognition of Vietnam's economic growth and the government's reform efforts towards developing its capital market. On September 17, 2026, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung hosted a reception for FTSE Russell CEO Fiona Bassett in Hanoi. The Prime Minister expressed appreciation for FTSE Russell's role in monitoring and assessing Vietnam's stock market, as well as its support for enhancing the market's transparency, efficiency, and compliance with international standards. Prime Minister Le highlighted Vietnam's socio-economic achievements, noting a GDP growth rate of 8.18 percent in the first half of 2026, the highest in 15 years. He affirmed the government's resolve to achieve double-digit growth in 2026 and throughout the 2026-2030 period, while maintaining macroeconomic stability, controlling inflation, and ensuring major economic balances. Mobilizing substantial financial resources is crucial for these targets, making the development of a deep, broad-based, and efficient capital market an urgent task. The government has implemented numerous reforms to create more favorable conditions for investors, particularly foreign investors, demonstrating a strong commitment to reforming the stock market and building an increasingly open, transparent, and efficient investment environment. The Prime Minister viewed FTSE Russell's upgrade decision as objective recognition of Vietnam's development vision, political determination, and reform efforts. This upgrade is seen as the starting point for a new phase of development for Vietnam's stock market, characterized by higher quality, greater scale, and increased professionalism. Moving forward, Vietnam will focus on sustaining this upgraded status by ensuring smooth information flows, maintaining regular dialogue with market participants, and establishing transparent communication channels with FTSE Russell. Key initiatives include accelerating the deployment of the Central Counterparty (CCP) mechanism, effectively addressing issues raised by global securities firms, and strengthening support for listed companies to adopt ESG standards, improve information disclosure, and implement corporate governance practices aligned with OECD principles. These measures are vital for attracting and retaining capital from global investment funds. FTSE Russell CEO Fiona Bassett described Vietnam as a remarkable growth story in Asia and a long-term partner, expressing the company's desire to deepen cooperation. She noted that the upgrade decision, coupled with an almost 50 percent increase in Vietnam's weighting in the FTSE Emerging All Cap Index, could drive billions of dollars in capital inflows into the Vietnamese stock market. FTSE Russell is committed to providing comprehensive support for the continued development of Vietnam's capital market, aiding its strategic objectives, international integration, and foreign investment attraction.