Foreign investment in Ho Chi Minh City surges in first four months of 2026

Foreign investment in Ho Chi Minh City surges in first four months of 2026

Ho Chi Minh City attracted nearly $3.3 billion in foreign direct investment in the first four months of 2026, more than double the same period last year.

The 127 per cent on-year increase comes as a series of strategic infrastructure projects, including metro lines, the international financial centre, and the Can Gio International Transshipment Port megaproject, are being accelerated.

Conference reviewing Ho Chi Minh City's socioeconomic performance of the first four months of the year

According to Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Vice Chairman Hoang Nguyen Dinh, the city is currently in a peak period for implementing major tasks associated with key resolutions and conclusions of the Party, particularly following Party General Secretary and State President To Lam's working visit to the city in late April.

"The key task now is to achieve double-digit economic growth and the budget revenue target of VND1 quadrillion ($38.5 billion)," Dinh said at a conference on May 8 reviewing the city's socioeconomic performance for the first four months of the year. "Public investment, budget spending, land issues, and site clearance are being more focused to remove delays and implement solutions thoroughly."

On institutional reforms and new development models, he said agencies are requested to provide clear reports and focus on implementing the draft Law on Special Urban Areas, the two-tier local government system, and administrative procedure reforms.

According to reports from relevant agencies, in the first four months, Ho Chi Minh City’s economy maintained positive growth momentum, broadly in line with the proposed scenario, with many indicators recording robust increases.

Total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenue reached VND639.35 trillion ($24.6 billion), up around 13 per cent on-year.

The tourism sector saw a strong rebound, generating VND172 trillion in revenue ($6.6 billion), equivalent to more than 52 per cent of the annual target, while international arrivals approached 4.8 million and domestic visitors reached 19.2 million. State budget revenue totalled about VND325.7 trillion ($12.5 billion).

The city also focused on effectively carrying out other key tasks, including expanding green spaces and urban parks for residents, completing compensation and site clearance work for the Thu Thiem New Urban Area, and implementing free bus fare policies. These achievements affirm the effectiveness of the city’s governance and provide an important foundation for achieving double-digit growth in 2026.

Large-scale strategic infrastructure projects with total registered investment capital of nearly VND520 trillion ($20 billion) were launched, including Metro Line No.2 (Ben Thanh–Thu Thiem section), the central square and administrative centre, the renovation and urban revitalisation of the Ho Chi Minh Museum area, and the International University Urban Area.

At the same time, the city granted investment approval for the Can Gio International Transshipment Port megaproject.

Overall, the achievements in the first four months of the year indicate that socioeconomic conditions have maintained a positive recovery and growth trajectory, providing a foundation for the city's double-digit growth target in 2026.

VIR