Vietnam Economic News: 6.12 - 13.12.2025
Summary of Vietnam Economic News: 6.12 - 13.12.2025
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Summary of Vietnam Economic News: 6.12 - 13.12.2025 ---
VINHOMES HONORED AS 'DEVELOPER OF THE YEAR SOUTHEAST ASIA 2025' AT THE DOT PROPERTY SOUTHEAST ASIA AWARDS 2025
Dow Jones Newswires – 12 December 2025
Vinhomes has been honored as "Developer of the Year Southeast Asia 2025", the most prestigious title within the Dot Property Southeast Asia Awards 2025. The award marks a significant milestone in Vinhomes' regional expansion journey and reaffirms its pioneering role in shaping modern urban developments, enhancing quality of life, and setting sustainable development benchmarks for Southeast Asia's real estate sector. Surpassing many regional property developers, Vinhomes was recognised in the highest and most prestigious category and is also the first and only Vietnamese developer to achieve this distinction. The Dot Property judging panel placed Vinhomes among the region's most exceptional developers, highly commending the company across four strategic pillars: Its proven ability to create model urban cities; its forward-looking vision anchored in a comprehensive, fully integrated urban development strategy; its outstanding execution capacity in delivering large-scale developments; and its steadfast commitment to green, sustainable development that generates enduring and long-term value.
VISA AND VNPT MONEY LAUNCH THE VISA PAY, DRIVING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AND FINANCIAL INCLUSION IN VIETNAM
Dow Jones Newswires German – 12 December 2025
Visa (NYSE: V), the world's leader in digital payments, has partnered with VNPT Money to launch Visa Pay, a new feature that enables Vietnamese consumers to pay quickly and safely using their mobile wallet - whether shopping locally or traveling abroad. Visa Pay is now live with VNPT Money, marking the first digital wallet in Vietnam to enable this innovative service. The first phase introduces Scan to Pay, allowing Vietnamese consumers to make fast, secure payments at thousands of merchants using QR codes. More features like Tap to Pay and eCommerce are coming in 2026. For VNPT Money users, this means fewer steps, no extra apps, and peace of mind with Visa's global security standards. Vietnamese travellers can now use VNPT Money to scan QR codes and pay directly from their wallet balance while abroad, avoiding cash hassles and enjoying competitive exchange rates and costs, as well as exclusive promotions. The launch of this feature demonstrates the strong commitment of Visa and VNPT Money to expanding access to digital financial services, supporting the growth of the digital economy, e-commerce, and international tourism, while contributing to Vietnam's national digital transformation roadmap. "Visa Pay is a catalyst for Vietnam's digital and financial inclusion journey. By giving Vietnamese consumers seamless and secure ways to pay, we're helping uplift the economy, empower small businesses, and create new opportunities for innovation. Our collaboration with VNPT Money ensures that every consumer - from urban centers to rural communities - can access trusted digital payments that make everyday life simpler and safer," said Ms. Dung Dang, Country Manager for Visa Vietnam and Laos. "The launch of international transaction feature via Visa Pay is an important milestone that demonstrates VNPT Money's determination to expand its digital payment ecosystem and elevate the experience of Vietnamese users" shared Mr. Nguyen Dang Thang, Director of the VNPT FinTech Center.
VIETNAM URGES FACTORIES TO CUT OUTPUT AS HANOI CHOKES ON SMOG
Reuters News – 11 December 2025
Industrial plants in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi have come under renewed pressure to scale back their operations as authorities respond to a week of heavy and hazardous smog in the city. Vietnam's Ministry of Health earlier this week urged power, steel and chemical plants to cut output when the air quality index exceeds 200. The index gauges the volumes of hazardous small particles known as PM2.5 that are in the air. The AQI hit 243 midday on Thursday, putting Hanoi fourth on the list of the world's most-polluted cities, according to AirVisual, which provides independent global air pollution information via a phone app. The city has topped the list on a number of occasions this week, according to the app, a position it also held in January. The country, a regional manufacturing hub which is urbanising rapidly, has been suffering from severe air pollution for years, especially in Hanoi. The authorities have identified transportation, industrial production, construction activities and the burning of garbage and agricultural residue as the main sources of air pollution in the city. "Gasoline-powered motorbikes are used widely in Hanoi, making them a major source of air pollution," Le Thanh Thuy, an official of the city's department of agriculture and environment, told local media on Thursday. The city will impose partial bans on gasoline-powered motorbikes in downtown areas from mid-2026 and will gradually expand the ban thereafter to fossil-fuel-powered cars. If Hanoi's AQI is converted into actual PM2.5 concentrations, the pollution this week could be as much as 50 times the 5- microgram/cu m level recommended by the World Health Organization.
VIETNAM CURBS EXPORTS OF REFINED RARE EARTHS, REAFFIRMS BAN ON ORE TRADE
Reuters News – 11 December 2025
Vietnam's parliament on Thursday approved a revised law that restricts exports of refined rare earths and reaffirms a ban on ore exports, in a bid to support a domestic industry that has struggled for decades to exploit its substantial reserves. Vietnam has some of the world's largest deposits of rare earths, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, though the government agency earlier this year significantly lowered its estimate of the country's reserves to 3.5 million metric tonnes from 22 million tonnes. Changes to the existing law on minerals state that "deep processing of rare earths must be associated with building a modern industrial ecosystem to improve the domestic value chain and ensure autonomy," which indirectly restricts the export of refined rare earths. The West is scrambling for alternatives to China's refined rare earths, used in cars, renewable infrastructure and other sensitive industries. Beijing, which dominates global supplies, introduced export controls in April at the height of its trade war with the U.S. Vietnam's restrictions will have no immediate impact as the country has virtually no refining capacity at the moment. It has banned the export of rare earth ores since at least 2021. But regulatory hurdles have long prevented the exploitation of its reserves by local enterprises and foreign partners. The new law reaffirms the ban on exporting ores and stresses that "exploration, exploitation and processing activities must be strictly controlled." The export restrictions are to promote the growth of domestic processing, not just exploration.