VIB scales up operating footprint over 30 years

VIB scales up operating footprint over 30 years

Across 30 years in the business, VIB has scaled up its operating footprint, strengthening its position across the banking landscape.

Photo courtesy of VIB

From 2016 to 2026, VIB’s total assets have grown from $4.02 billion to more than $22.30 billion. VIB has evolved from a bank with $1.92 million in charter capital and 23 employees in 1996 into one of Vietnam’s leading joint-stock commercial banks, establishing a strong presence in retail banking and earning a place among the Top 500 most valuable banking brands globally for multiple consecutive years.

This growth reflects a 30-year journey of continuously raising standards, innovating and transforming–so that every step forward creates greater value for customers, the market and the broader economy. The past three decades have also marked a period of profound transformation for Vietnam’s banking industry alongside the broader economy: larger scale, higher standards of governance and financial safety, technology reshaping the movement of money, and financial experiences becoming more convenient, empowering and diverse for Vietnamese consumers.

Amid these changes, VIB has continuously raised the bar, innovated and transformed. Three decades have shaped VIB into a bank built on internationally aligned governance standards, with a distinct track record in elevating financial experiences for Vietnamese consumers and an operating scale that contributes meaningfully to everyday life, businesses and the broader economy.

From building the foundation to advancing international governance standards

From $4.02 billion in 2016, VIB’s total assets surpassed $22.30 billion by mid-2026. The balance sheet has grown more than 5.5 times, equivalent to an average annual growth rate of nearly 20 per cent–one of the more notable growth trajectories among Vietnam’s joint-stock commercial banks. Behind that decade of strong growth were two decades dedicated to building the foundation for long-term development.

Between 1996 and 2016, Vietnam’s banking industry expanded significantly in both scale and its capacity to provide capital to the economy, while becoming increasingly integrated with global financial markets. At the same time, expectations around capital adequacy, governance quality and risk management continued to rise.

Photo courtesy of VIB

During this period, VIB accelerated the development of an internationally aligned governance foundation by adopting global experience, methodologies and standards, while drawing on capabilities transferred by strategic shareholders and leading advisory institutions. Across strategy, operating models, risk management, technology and operations, new approaches were put into practice and embedded as core capabilities of the bank.

In 2018, VIB became one of the first two banks in Vietnam to be recognised by the State Bank of Vietnam as meeting Basel II standards. One year later, the bank completed all three pillars of Basel II. In 2026, VIB continued to implement the Basel III capital calculation and management framework under the standardised approach.

Two decades of foundation-building strengthened VIB’s governance and operating capabilities in line with international standards, while creating the momentum for the next phase of strong growth. As the bank scaled, requirements for capital, risk management, technology and operations continued to evolve alongside its expanding footprint.

From continuous innovation to elevating the financial experience

One of the most visible changes in Vietnam’s banking market over the past decade has been the transformation of the customer experience. Customers have moved from having to visit a bank to complete transactions to carrying their bank with them on their phones; from choosing among pre-designed products to having greater control over features, benefits and how they manage their money; and from standardised service models to solutions that are increasingly tailored to individual needs.

The shift has been driven by consumers’ increasingly diverse financial needs, alongside the banking industry’s accelerating transition towards retail banking. The widespread adoption of smartphones, e-commerce and digital payments has pushed competition deeper into the customer experience–making banking more convenient, flexible and choice-driven, while enabling solutions that are increasingly tailored to individual needs. Banks with strong retail franchises have also helped accelerate this transformation through new products, technologies and service models.

As one of the banks with a leading retail banking franchise during this period, VIB has maintained a Top-tier share of retail lending in the market. From 2017 to 2025, retail lending grew at an average annual rate of 22 per cent, compared with 15 per cent for listed banks, while average return on equity reached 23 per cent, above the 17 per cent average.

For borrowing needs, VIB is redesigning the experience–from faster access to capital to greater control throughout the life of a loan. Technology and data have reduced home loan approval times to as little as 4–8 hours, while interest-rate options, principal grace periods and repayment structures are designed to adapt to customers’ needs and cash flows. This flexibility continues after disbursement, giving customers greater control over their loans and the ability to adjust their financial plans as their needs and actual cash flow evolve.

In credit cards, continuous innovation in digital capabilities, customer choice and personalised experiences has positioned VIB at the forefront of market trends. From approximately 92,000 cards in 2018, VIB’s card portfolio surpassed 1.1 million by the end of 2025. Over the same period, total card spending increased approximately 17-fold, from $360 million to nearly $5.4 billion, placing VIB among the Top 3 banks in Vietnam by card spending.

For idle cash, VIB has developed the Smart Deposit ecosystem to balance returns and liquidity–allowing unused funds to generate additional value while remaining accessible when customers need them. Within the ecosystem, the number of iDepo and Hi-Depo transactions has increased more than tenfold in less than three years since 2023. Across the Smart Deposit ecosystem, more than 7.1 million transactions, with a total value approaching $19.22 billion, have been completed–bringing greater earning potential and flexibility into the way customers manage their cash flow every day.

Photo courtesy of VIB

On digital channels, the number of MyVIB user has increased approximately 30-fold over eight years. More than 70 per cent of retail customers are now served through digital platforms, while 97 per cent of retail customer transactions are conducted through digital channels. In 2025 alone, VIB’s digital platforms processed nearly 680 million transactions, with a total value of approximately $176.9 billion. The bank has evolved from a place customers need to visit into a service embedded in their everyday financial lives.

Along this journey, VIB has turned new ideas into real-world experiences and brought those experiences to scale. The value created through each customer experience is also part of the bank’s broader operating footprint, where millions of savings, payment and financing needs are served every day.

From 2017 to 2025, VIB’s credit grew at an average annual rate of 22 per cent, compared with 15 per cent for listed banks. This growth expanded VIB’s capacity to provide capital for essential needs across everyday life and business–from housing and vehicles to working capital for household businesses and financing for companies to operate and grow.

After 30 years, VIB’s operating footprint has expanded from individual customers to businesses, and from lending and payments to treasury and foreign exchange. A strong governance foundation supports safe and sustainable scale; technology accelerates the movement of money; and business capabilities channel capital towards the needs of individuals and businesses.

VIR