Unlocking nearly 2,900 delayed projects could power Vietnam’s economic leap, but only if bold reforms cut through institutional bottlenecks and legal red tape.

The Singapore-based United Overseas Bank (UOB) revised its forecast projection for Vietnam’s GDP growth upward to 6.9% for 2025 from its previous projection of 6%, following the strong performance in the second quarter.

By June 2025, Vietnam's total credit had reached over 17.2 quadrillion VND (658.43 billion USD), up 9.9% from end-2024 and 19.32% year-on-year - the highest growth rate since 2023.

Economists, both domestic and foreign, have noted Vietnam’s ability to maintain strong momentum, with ambitions to hit 8% growth in 2025 and 10% or more annually from 2026 to 2030.

Ambitious package to reduce red tape and upgrade infrastructure under IMF review.

The elimination of district-level governance is a cornerstone of Vietnam’s new administrative era.

Persistent underpayment of public workers continues to weaken state capacity and morale.

Vietnam's GDP rose 7.52% in the first six months of 2025, marking the highest mid-year growth rate since 2011, according to the General Statistics Office.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has urged the central bank to scrap administrative credit limits and embrace market-based controls.

Vietnam’s economy outpaced forecasts in the first half, with GDP growth likely to exceed projections by 0.2 to 0.3%, Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Tran Van Son said on July 3.

Both the IMF and OECD believe that with solid macroeconomic fundamentals, a clear reform agenda, and active involvement from the private sector, Vietnam is well-positioned to maintain stable growth and enhance its position in global value chains.

Vietnam has issued a lot of strategic policies and mechanisms, which are expected to help it continue pursuing the economic growth target of at least 8% this year.

According to UOB, following the US’s announcement of reciprocal tariffs of 46% on Vietnamese goods on April 2, around 80% of Vietnamese businesses have proactively taken measures to respond to potential impacts.

Vietnam’s aggressive credit expansion is clashing with slow public spending and poses systemic risks without policy alignment.

As credit dependency reaches 134% of GDP, concerns resurface over policy imbalances and macroeconomic stability.

To reduce criminalization, the number of business conditions must be cut. Removing just one conditional business field can eliminate many restrictive regulations or procedures, experts say.

Institutional bottlenecks, frankly, are numerous, both in quantity and impact on the business environment.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), on June 20 held a seminar to launch the OECD Economic Surveys: Vietnam 2025 report.

After merging 34 provinces, Vietnam unveils new leaders in area, population, and average income.