Ho Chi Minh City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City has continued to attract strong foreign capital inflows in the first months of 2026, with mergers and acquisitions (M&A) emerging as a key investment channel and showing the city's appeal to international investors.

The municipal statistics authority reported that total registered foreign investment in the southern economic hub exceeded 3.8 billion USD in the first five months of the year.

The figure included 783 newly licensed projects worth more than 1.09 billion USD and 107 existing projects added with over 430 million USD in capital.

Meanwhile, capital contributions, share purchases and equity acquisitions by foreign investors accounted for the largest share of inflows. During the January–May period, the city recorded 747 cases of foreign investors contributing capital and acquiring stakes in local enterprises, with a combined registered value of 2.327 billion USD.

The trend suggests that international investors are increasingly choosing M&A transactions to expand their presence in Vietnam rather than investing in new projects.

Among the most notable deals was Indonesian investor Haryanto Sudarno Kusuma’s planned capital contribution of more than 1.7 billion USD to the VLD Investment and Finance JSC, one of the largest transactions recorded in Ho Chi Minh City so far this year.

Several other significant deals were reported in the finance, technology and service sectors. Singapore-based Momogi Group invested more than 64 million USD in Bibica Capital, while Kredivo Vietnam registered an investment of nearly 34.4 million USD in the Timo Vietnam JSC. These transactions reflect growing foreign interest in high-growth industries closely linked to digital transformation.

Ho Chi Minh City has set a target of attracting around 11 billion USD in domestic and foreign investment in 2026. To achieve this goal, authorities are focusing on improving the business environment while prioritising projects with high quality and added value.

Under its development strategy, the city will prioritise investors aligned with plans to develop the International Financial Centre and a free trade zone. Investment is being encouraged in artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, automation, semiconductor technology, digital transformation, green growth and projects meeting environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards.

The city is also piloting the transformation of five export processing and industrial zones into high-tech, eco-industrial and innovation-driven parks, namely Tan Thuan, Tan Binh, Cat Lai, Hiep Phuoc and Binh Chieu, a move expected to attract more high-quality foreign direct investment in the coming years./.