Vietnam is projected to be among the world’s fastest-growing economies in 2026 with an estimated GDP growth rate of 8.4 percent, according to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) World Economic Outlook report released in October.

The IMF attributed Vietnam’s performance to manufacturing resilience, robust domestic demand, and expanding exports. Vietnam's projected expansion outperforms India and is more than double the global average.

Global economic growth is forecast to reach 3.1 percent in 2026, up 0.1 percentage point from the IMF's July estimate, driven by investments in artificial intelligence and strong fiscal support that helped offset rising energy costs.