Surplus in finances helped along by digitalisation

Despite policies to support enterprises causing dents in the state budget, the nation’s financial resources are in substantial surplus, assisted by a rise in revenues and a digital transition.

- By Thu Thanh

The Ministry of Finance (MoF) last week reported that Vietnam posted a total four-month budget surplus of $17.83 billion, far higher than $13.95 billion reaped in the same period last year.

State budget revenue in the first four months of 2026 delivered positive results, with an estimated sum of $44.56 billion, fulfilling 44 per cent of the annual target and increasing 15.2 per cent on-year. Of the total, domestic revenue was estimated at $39.64 billion, tantamount to 45 per cent and rising 17.4 per cent against the corresponding period last year.

The National Statistics Office reported that the index of industrial production for 2026 thus far “continued a positive growth trend”, estimated to have climbed 9.2 per cent on-year, when the index grew 8.6 per cent on-year. The on-year index expanded 9.9 per cent for processing and manufacturing; 7.5 per cent for electricity production and distribution; 4 per cent for the mining industry; and 7.4 per cent for waste/wastewater management and treatment.

According to the MoF, although revenue collection has continued to maintain solid progress against projections and yearly growth, adverse impacts from the Middle East conflict on business production and trading activities, combined with the introduction of fiscal support measures, such as tax cuts, have begun to weigh on state budget revenue.