Global investment giant Vanguard moves to enter Vietnam as market upgrade approaches

The announcement came during a meeting on Tuesday in Melbourne, Australia between representatives of Vanguard and a delegation from the State Securities Commission of Vietnam (SSC) led by chairwoman Vu Thi Chan Phuong.

The meeting was part of the SSC’s working trip to Australia from November 10-14 to attend the annual conference of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

The two sides discussed cooperation, market development, and ways to draw more foreign capital into Vietnam’s stock market.

Vanguard praised recent efforts by the SSC to streamline procedures and strengthen the legal and regulatory framework, saying the new policies are making it easier for global funds to enter the market.

Ahead of Vietnam’s reclassification by FTSE Russell, a major global index provider under the London Stock Exchange Group, Vanguard said it plans to open both a trading account and an indirect capital account in Vietnam.

James Chatfield, head trader for Asia Pacific and senior portfolio manager at Vanguard, said the fund will begin carrying out the required procedures.

He described the move as an important milestone that marks Vanguard’s formal entry into Vietnam.

He emphasized that completing the procedures under the new regulations will give global investors firsthand experience of Vietnam’s investment environment.

The meeting took place as Vanguard expressed appreciation for the Vietnamese government and regulators’ broader efforts to improve the investment climate and modernize the legal framework, especially through new measures designed to facilitate international capital flows.

FTSE Russell announced on October 8 that Vietnam will be upgraded from frontier to secondary emerging market status beginning September 21, 2026, pending an interim review in March 2026.

The decision follows nearly seven years of reform since Vietnam was first placed on the FTSE watchlist in 2018.

Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Pennsylvania, Vanguard offers investment products, savings tools, financial advice, retirement services, and market insights to clients around the world.