127 high-value projects post-merger: Ho Chi Minh City rolls out the red carpet for strategic investors

DNHN - Ho Chi Minh City has unveiled a portfolio of 127 strategic projects as part of a major investment restructuring effort post-boundary expansion, signaling a shift toward selective and high-impact investment in technology, finance, and logistics.

A springboard for high-quality FDI, green tech, and global finance

With its new metropolitan vision connecting Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, and Ba Ria–Vung Tau, the region is rapidly forming a super-urban growth corridor—home to over 14 million people and boasting a GRDP of over USD 113 billion, nearly 24% of Vietnam’s GDP. This area is being positioned as the “new Singapore” of ASEAN, offering robust infrastructure, advanced technology, skilled labor, and world-class logistics.

In the first half of 2025 alone, Ho Chi Minh City reported GRDP growth of 7.82% and attracted USD 5.2 billion in FDI—a 32% increase year-on-year. Public investment disbursement reached 32% of the annual target, a notable figure amid bureaucratic delays in other provinces.

“Ho Chi Minh City is evolving beyond being Vietnam’s economic engine; it's becoming a strategic node in Asia’s financial, industrial, and innovation networks,” noted Dr. Nguyen Thuy Lan, a senior advisor in investment and strategy.

Priority sectors include international transshipment ports, R&D centers, integrated circuit industries, next-gen battery technology, and notably, the Thu Thiem International Financial Center—one of the city’s flagship projects.

The city is proactively inviting global banks, investment funds, and financial institutions to co-develop the Thu Thiem center, which aspires to become a key hub for capital flow in Southeast Asia.

“This isn’t just a capital call. Publishing the 127-project list is a clear signal: Ho Chi Minh City is ready to play in the league of global cities—not only attracting investment, but actively creating value chains,” Dr. Nguyen Thuy Lan emphasized.

The city is entering its most transformative phase in three decades, redefining both administrative boundaries and strategic thinking around investment attraction. Policy mechanisms are being redesigned with a sharper focus on transparency, selectivity, and long-term partnerships.

“This is a golden window for international corporations to get in early, secure top-of-chain positions, and build lasting competitive advantages with Ho Chi Minh City in the smart city era,” said Dr. Nguyen Thuy Lan.

New strategy: No longer inviting all, only welcoming the right investors

At the heart of this new investment policy is a strategic shift: from “open invitation” to “curated partnership.” Dr. Nguyen Thuy Lan revealed that the city is crafting tailored “investment corridors” for strategic partners rather than applying blanket policies.

Eligible investors must demonstrate financial strength, core technology capabilities, and ESG-aligned strategies. The city highlights four key investor groups:

1. Global logistics & port operators – Especially for projects connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Cai Mep–Thi Vai–Long Thanh, forming a premier interregional export logistics hub in Southeast Asia.

2. Fintech, digital banking & financial investors – Thu Thiem is being modeled after hubs like AIFC (Kazakhstan), Singapore, and Dubai. With dedicated land and regulatory sandboxes in place, the city aims to make it Vietnam’s modern financial epicenter.

3. Green tech & renewable energy firms – Opportunities abound in high-tech waste treatment, rooftop solar deployment, and green public transport transformation.

4. Tech startups & R&D enterprises – The city’s controlled sandbox initiative offers fast-track approvals, zero capital requirements at launch, and flexible tax incentives by development stage.

“Investors should view today’s Ho Chi Minh City as a place of high political will, rapid reform, synchronized infrastructure, and bold ambition to become a regional tech-finance hub,” Dr. Nguyen Thuy Lan asserted.

With 10 PPP projects worth VND 100 trillion (~USD 4 billion), 41 socialized projects, the sandbox framework, and a deeply selective investor strategy, Ho Chi Minh City is building an “exclusive investment corridor”, a pioneering model in Vietnam.

For international investors, entering a market today is not just about favorable incentives. It’s about feeling “selected” and “partnered.” Ho Chi Minh City’s new approach shifts from mass attraction to strategic collaboration by design, not by chance.

Mariana Nguyen