Investors on the trading floor of VNDirect Securities Co. — Photo courtesy of VNDirect

HÀ NỘI — The number of domestic investor accounts increased by nearly 81,000 in January, according to the Việt Nam Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation.

This marks the lowest monthly increase in new securities accounts since April 2023.

The majority of new accounts opened in the first month of the year came from individual investors, while institutional investors registered only 52 new accounts.

As of the end of January, domestic individual investors held a total of over 9.3 million accounts, representing around 9 per cent of the population. Việt Nam achieved its 2025 target ahead of schedule and is aiming for 11 million accounts by 2030.

The slowdown in newly opened securities accounts occurred amid weak market liquidity in January. The nine-day Lunar New Year holiday may have led to investors being cautious about investing money in stocks.

Despite the liquidity downturn, foreign investors continued their strong net selling trend in early 2025, with an outflow exceeding VNĐ10 trillion (US$394.5 million).

In 2024, foreign investors recorded a net sale of around VNĐ90 trillion on the HOSE, primarily driven by exchange rate fluctuations and geopolitical uncertainties.

However, expectations remain that foreign capital outflows will ease in 2025, with Việt Nam’s stock market upgrade prospects potentially drawing renewed investor interest.

Chairwoman of the State Securities Commission Vũ Thị Chân Phương said that the stock market reflects a combination of domestic and international macroeconomic factors and corporate health through investor confidence.

Therefore, she said, market movements will largely depend on macroeconomic policies and both domestic and global economic outlooks.

Overall, Việt Nam’s stock market is expected to present a more positive outlook this year, supported by the country’s strong internal growth drivers.

The market’s upgrade status depends on objective assessments by international rating agencies based on foreign investors’ actual experiences. Observations from domestic and international institutions suggest that Việt Nam has significant potential to be upgraded by FTSE Russell as scheduled. — VNS