The UK–Vietnam High-Level IFC Conference 2026 - a flagship bilateral event advancing cooperation on financial market development and international integration - was organized in Hanoi on March 23 by the British Embassy Hanoi and British Consulate-General Ho Chi Minh City.
Giving the welcome remarks at the conference, H.E. Iain Frew, British Ambassador to Vietnam said that Vietnam is taking bold and strategic steps toward building a modern, globally connected IFC. "Already, the country has achieved remarkable milestones," the Ambassador said.
According to the Ambassador, Vietnam has established a clear strategic vision, strengthened its regulatory and legal foundations, and initiated important market-development work — all signalling both ambition and capability. The progress made over the past year, through policy refinement, international collaboration, and coordinated government action, demonstrates Vietnam’s seriousness, sophistication, and readiness to build an IFC aligned with global standards. This momentum reflects Vietnam’s determination to modernise its financial architecture and deepen global integration, and the UK wholeheartedly applauds these achievements as a strong foundation for the next phase of development.
Meanwhile, as one of the world’s premier financial hubs, the UK brings unparalleled strengths. London ranks as the world’s third most influential financial centre, just behind New York and Singapore, in the 2025 International Financial Centres Index. The UK accounts for 17 per cent of global financial-services exports, making it the world’s largest net exporter of financial and professional services.
London hosts over 170 foreign banks and handles 38 per cent of global foreign-exchange turnover — more than double the US volume. In 2023, companies raised over £1 trillion ($1.34 trillion) in bonds and £17 billion ($22.8 billion) in equity issuance in the UK, reaffirming its role as a leading global hub for raising investment. The UK’s trade surplus in financial and related professional services reached £100.7 billion ($143.6 billion). And through the London Stock Exchange, more than 488 sustainable bonds have raised £218 billion ($292.6 billion), underlining the UK’s global leadership in sustainable finance.
"These strengths — spanning regulation, market depth, fintech innovation, governance, and dispute resolution — are exactly the capabilities the UK is proud to share with Vietnam," the Ambassador affirmed. "The UK is proud to accompany Vietnam on this journey, especially after the elevation of our relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in October 2025."
Senior Vietnamese leadership emphasised that the development of the IFC in Vietnam is a strategic national priority - central to enhancing competitiveness, mobilising capital, and enabling sustainable high-growth trajectories.
Building on the spirit of cooperation and partnership highlighted by international partners, Vietnamese Vice Minister of Finance Tran Quoc Phuong affirmed that Vietnam consistently regards the UK as one of its leading partners in Europe and globally, holding a priority position in its foreign policy.
With a shared goal of development and prosperity - particularly in the process of establishing an IFC, the Vice Minister expressed his hope that the UK will continue to support the Government of Vietnam in the development, operation, and growth of the IFC. He also called for enhanced experience-sharing and advisory support on institutional frameworks, policies, and governance models, drawing on the successful practices of the London financial centre and other leading financial centres around the world.
A key highlight of the conference was the moment Ambassador Iain Frew handed over to Vietnam’s Vice Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan the “Advancing Vietnam Commodity Derivatives Market” report, a cornerstone component of the IFC ecosystem in Vietnam.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Tan stated that this is a valuable reference document, providing useful information and recommendations that contribute to supporting the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) in researching, organizing, and developing the derivatives trading market in Vietnam towards a modern, transparent, and internationally integrated direction.
"The MoIT highly appreciates the cooperation and active support of the UK Government, the Ambassador, and experts within the framework of the Growth Gateway Project," he added. "This collaboration is of practical significance in the context of Vietnam promoting the development of financial and commodity trading markets, aiming for double-digit growth."
The conference also witnessed the signing of multiple Letters of Intent between UK firms and Vietnamese partners such as GMEX Group, Exactpro, Mercantile Exchange of Vietnam (MXV), Navisoft, etc, demonstrating growing momentum in bilateral cooperation across market infrastructure and exchanges; Financial technologies and trading systems; Clearing, settlement, and regulatory frameworks.
Alongside the conference, a high-level working session on Vietnam’s Trade Finance Registry (TFR) - co-organised by the UK Government, the Vietnam Banks Association (VNBA) and Boston Consulting Group - marked a critical step toward modernising Vietnam’s financial infrastructure.
Vietnam currently faces a trade finance gap of $90 to 100 billion, representing approximately one quarter of ASEAN’s total gap. The TFR initiative aims to enhance transparency and reduce fraud risks; Enable secure data-sharing across financial institutions; Improve credit access, particularly for SMEs; Strengthen Vietnam’s integration into global trade finance systems
The session marked the transition from design to implementation, with the launch of a Proof of Concept, supported by stakeholders representing around 70 per cent of Vietnam’s trade finance market.
The conference concluded with a sharing and discussion between the UK and Vietnamese businesses, reaffirming their commitment to contributing expertise across commodity and derivatives exchanges; Financial market infrastructure; Trade finance and digitalisation; Capacity building and regulatory development.
This collective commitment reflects the strength of the UK–Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the UK’s position as a trusted partner in financial services, legal systems, and market innovation.
The UK–Vietnam High-Level IFC Conference 2026 underscores a shared vision to build a resilient, transparent, and globally integrated financial ecosystem in Vietnam.
Through continued collaboration between governments, regulators, and the private sector, both countries are well-positioned to translate strategic ambition into tangible outcomes - supporting Vietnam’s emergence as a key financial hub in the region.
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