Basel III drives banks to seek raised capital

Mounting pressure to strengthen capital to meet Basel III standards and sustain robust credit growth in the coming years is making the search for strategic investors more urgent.

- By Hazy Tran

The banking sector is witnessing a wave of large-scale capital raising as lenders face the need to fully comply with Basel II and prepare for a transition to Basel III by 2030, while also positioning themselves for a potential upgrade of Vietnam's stock market.

One of the most anticipated transactions this year is the planned sale of a 6.5 per cent stake in Vietcombank. At the end of January, the bank invited advisory firms to submit proposals for independent valuation services related to the private placement.

Vietcombank’s 2025 AGM approved a plan to sell up to 6.5 per cent of its equity to a maximum of 55 investors through one or multiple tranches during 2025-2026. The transaction is estimated to raise $1.3-1.4 billion.

In mid-January, BIDV announced a list of 33 investors participating in its private placement of more than 264 million shares. The offering, expected to be completed in the first quarter, could raise approximately $410 million. The deal attracted numerous professional institutional investors, including State Capital Investment Corporation, investors related to Dragon Capital, SSI Asset Management, Darasol Investments Limited, and Manulife Vietnam.

According to economic expert Can Van Luc, the capital-raising race in 2026 is about preparing for a new growth cycle, in which capital quality, risk management, and digital transformation will determine each bank's competitive position.

"Capital increases by major banks such as Vietcombank are not only aimed at meeting higher Basel standards but also at preparing for dealmaking opportunities, technology investments, and expansion into green finance," he said.