Billion dollar capital from Taiwan and Japan set to flow into Vietnam
Vietnam is emerging as one of the world’s top 15 developing destinations for foreign direct investment, with billion dollar inflows from Taiwan and Japan targeting finance, banking and insurance.
Cathay, Taiwan’s largest conglomerate, has invested more than USD 1 billion in Vietnam and plans to commit a similar amount in the coming period. The group has operated in Vietnam for more than 20 years, focusing mainly on banking and insurance.
Excluding its stake in the joint venture Indovina Bank, Cathay’s total investment in Vietnam has surpassed USD 1 billion, centred on three pillars: banking, life insurance and non life insurance. About 30 per cent of the capital is allocated to banking, nearly 70 per cent to life insurance, with the remainder in non life insurance.
Speaking to Dantri/Dtinews, Cathay representatives described Vietnam as a key market in south east Asia, citing stable economic growth, a young population and rising technology adoption. These factors are seen as creating strong potential for modern financial services, including consumer credit, to meet increasingly diverse demand.
In the insurance sector, Asahi Life of Japan is expected to spend USD 192 million to acquire the entire capital contribution of Manulife at MVI Life. The deal marks Asahi Life’s first overseas merger and acquisition, with Vietnam chosen as a new cross border destination in 2026 due to its remaining growth potential.
Vietnam’s financial market, particularly the digital asset sector, is also set to welcome Wilmar CLV Group (Singapore). Meanwhile, Dunamu, the operator of one of the world’s top three cryptocurrency exchanges with total transaction volume exceeding USD 1.1 trillion, has recently expressed its interest in investing in Vietnam, particularly in tokenised assets, and plans to strengthen cooperation with domestic partners from 2026 onward.
Beyond finance, several global FDI groups have signalled fresh commitments early in 2026. Appliance maker Aqua, through Aqua Vietnam Electric Appliance, plans to invest an additional USD 75 million to expand production and apply new technologies, with a long term investment roadmap running to 2045.
Amid ongoing global uncertainty, Vietnam continues to stand out as an FDI bright spot. According to the Ministry of Finance, the country ranks among the world’s 15 largest developing recipients of foreign direct investment.