Ho Chi Minh City attracted $19.1 billion in foreign direct investment in the first 10 months of 2026. The city presented its advantages and incentive mechanisms to investors and pledged to support their projects.
On November 2, the Ho Chi Minh City Trade and Investment Promotion Center held the 2026 investment cooperation forum, themed «Ho Chi Minh City: A new development space, new opportunities for investment cooperation».
Nguyen Loc Ha, standing deputy chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, said the city attracted $19.1 billion in foreign direct investment in the first 10 months of 2026, exceeding the full-year target by 73.9%. Ho Chi Minh City now has more than 22,036 active projects with total registered capital of over $157.4 billion, remaining Vietnam's leading city by this measure.
Ho Chi Minh City names three advantages for international investors
According to Nguyen Loc Ha, the city's appeal comes from its position as an economic center, large consumer market, active business community, and developed financial and trade services. Investors can access Vietnam's market of more than 100 million people while connecting with ASEAN and major economies.
The second advantage is the new development space after Ho Chi Minh City was consolidated. The city is linking its financial center, services, and innovation with an industrial base and deep-water seaport system, creating opportunities in manufacturing, logistics, and trade.
The third advantage is the new policy mechanisms and the authorities' support. Ha said the Law on Urban Development, which took effect in October 2026, together with the International Financial Center and a free trade zone, provides a basis for the city to test models based on international standards.
Ho Chi Minh City aims for double-digit growth in the coming period and plans to become Asia's economic, financial, and services center by 2045. The city is seeking long-term partners in strategic infrastructure, high technology, finance, logistics, and green energy.
Andrew Staples, editorial director of Fortune Asia, said at the forum that companies in the 2026 Fortune Southeast Asia 500 ranking recorded combined revenue of $1.88 trillion, up 3.4% from the previous year.
The 72 Vietnamese companies in the ranking recorded revenue of $177.9 billion, three times the regional average. They contributed about one quarter of the total ranking's revenue growth.
Incentives and support for investors in Ho Chi Minh City
Pham Quang Nhat, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Trade and Investment Promotion Center, said capital flowing into the city is increasingly concentrated in high technology, digital infrastructure, infrastructure, and logistics.
During the first 10 months, operating projects registered nearly $5.7 billion in additional capital. More than 1,611 foreign investors contributed capital to or bought shares in domestic companies.
Nhat presented three levels of incentives: national policies for priority sectors, the city's special mechanisms for strategic investors, and policies at Vietnam's International Financial Center in Ho Chi Minh City.
According to the presentation, some high-technology, research and development, and semiconductor manufacturing projects are subject to a 10% corporate income tax rate for 15 years. They receive a four-year tax exemption followed by a 50% reduction for the next nine years. Participants in priority sectors at the International Financial Center can apply a 10% rate for 30 years.
After the forum, the Ho Chi Minh City Trade and Investment Promotion Center will appoint a dedicated team to work with municipal departments and help investors choose a suitable mechanism, find a location, connect with partners, and follow their project roadmaps.
Sources: Thanh Niên
