Vietnam Economic Times January, 12 2026

Dear readers,

According to a report from the National Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance released on the afternoon of January 5, Vietnam’s GDP in the fourth quarter of 2025 was estimated to have increased by 8.46 per cent compared to the same period of 2024. This was the highest GDP growth in the fourth quarter for the past 15 years, since 2011.

This result not only maintains the continuous growth momentum of the economy quarter-by-quarter last year (Q1: 7.05 per cent, Q2: 8.16 per cent, and Q3: 8.25 per cent) but also helped achieve the GDP growth target of over 8 per cent for 2025 as a whole, with an increase of 8.02 per cent - in line with the guidelines set by the Party and State for the final year of implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Party on socio-economic development in the 2021-2025 period.

As a result, Vietnam’s GDP scale was estimated at VND12,847.6 quadrillion (at 2025 prices), equivalent to $514 billion (calculated at the average central exchange rate of VND/USD for 2025), an increase of $38 billion compared to 2024’s $476 billion. GDP per capita last year at current prices was therefore estimated at VND125.5 million ($5,026), an increase of $326 against 2024’s $4,700.

Many other socio-economic indicators were also quite positive. Total import-export turnover reached a record $930.05 billion, with exports of $475.04 billion, up 17.0 per cent against 2024, and imports of $455.01 billion, up 19.4 per cent. Vietnam’s trade surplus came in at $20.03 billion; lower than the $24.94 billion posted in 2024.

Total registered foreign investment in Vietnam as of December 31, including newly-registered capital, additional registered capital, and foreign investors’ contributions and share purchases, stood at $38.42 billion, an increase of 0.5 per cent compared to the previous year. Total registered additional capital stood at nearly VND6,400 trillion ($243.55 billion), an increase of 77.8 per cent compared to 2024. Meanwhile, disbursed FDI was estimated at $27.62 billion, a year-on-year rise of 9 per cent.

Vietnam’s overseas investment in 2025 included 173 new projects granted investment certificates, with total capital of $1 billion, an increase of 65.9 per cent compared to 2024. Thirty-two projects added capital, totaling $360.8 million, or more than three-times the figure in the previous year. Overall, Vietnam’s total investment abroad, both new and additional capital, reached $1.362 billion, an increase of 88.7 per cent against 2024.

In total, the country had nearly 297,500 newly-registered enterprises and businesses resuming operations after a period of closure, an increase of 27.4 per cent compared to 2024. On average, 24,800 businesses were newly-established or resumed operations each month. The number of those exiting the market totaled 227,200, an increase of 14.8 per cent against 2024, with 18,900 exiting the market each month on average.

In his keynote address at a national conference reviewing the government’s performance in 2025 and outlining tasks for 2026, held on January 8, Party General Secretary To Lam stressed that “Many decisions characterized by ‘turning the tide, changing the status quo, and adapting to circumstances’ have contributed to ‘turning challenges into opportunities.’ Numerous strategic resolutions in key fields such as science and technology, institutions and law, international integration, the private economy, the State economy, culture, and FDI attraction have laid the groundwork for rapid and sustainable development both in the short and long terms. As a result, in 2025, we successfully completed and exceeded 15 out of 15 major socio-economic targets; and in the 2021-2025 period we expect to have achieved and exceeded 22 out of 26 major socio-economic targets, nearly reached two of the 26, while two others need continued effort.”

Fundamentally, Vietnam therefore completed its socio-economic development plan for 2025 as well as the five-year plan for the 2021-2025 period, creating a solid basis for the country to enter a new development era in line with the direction the 14th National Congress of the Party, scheduled to take place from January 19-25, will outline.

To provide readers with the latest information on the overall picture of Vietnam’s socio-economic situation in the past year, our Cover Story in this edition looks back over the country’s economic landscape in December and 2025 as a whole.

Warmest regards

Dr. CHU VAN LAM
CHAIRMAN OF THE EDITORIAL BOARD