Representatives of VPBank and its partners at the signing ceremony for the US$1.44 billion sustainability-linked syndicated loan agreement. — Photos courtesy of VPBank

HÀ NỘI — As domestic liquidity tightens and demand for medium- and long-term funding continues to rise, access to international capital markets is becoming an increasingly important competitive advantage for Vietnamese banks. For VPBank, its ability to raise large-scale funding from global financial institutions has strengthened its balance sheet while supporting long-term growth and sustainability goals.

Over the past several years, VPBank has steadily expanded its access to global capital through relationships with leading international financial institutions, completing a series of billion-dollar fundraising transactions.

In late June, the bank signed a US$1.44 billion sustainability-linked syndicated loan with 15 international financial institutions. The three-year facility brought together lenders including SMBC, ANZ, HSBC, Standard Chartered, Commerzbank, OCBC, Maybank, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Mashreq Bank.

The size of the transaction and the calibre of participating lenders underscore international investors' confidence in VPBank's financial strength, growth prospects and sustainability strategy.

The latest deal follows a series of major international fundraising transactions completed in 2025. Last year, VPBank secured a $1.56 billion syndicated loan, issued $300 million in international sustainability bonds and signed a separate $350 million syndicated loan with SMBC, development finance institutions and bilateral financial organisations.

Together with other transactions, the bank raised a record $2.36 billion in international capital during 2025, the largest annual amount in its history.

According to its financial statements for the second quarter of 2026, VPBank had nearly VNĐ151 trillion (more than $5.7 billion) in foreign currency borrowings from financial institutions and other credit institutions, in addition to $300 million in five-year international bonds.

The figures reflect the bank's growing ability to tap global funding sources at a time when competition for long-term capital is intensifying.

VPBank's headquarters in Hà Nội.

Unlike many domestic funding sources, VPBank's international loans and bond issuances typically carry longer maturities, providing the bank with a stable source of long-term funding. This has helped maintain prudent liquidity indicators, with its loan-to-deposit ratio standing at 84.5 per cent and its ratio of short-term funds used for medium- and long-term lending at 22.4 per cent, both within regulatory limits set by the State Bank of Vietnam.

Analysts at Yuanta Securities said in a banking sector report published in early July that VPBank remained among the fastest-growing lenders in terms of credit expansion, supported by one of the strongest capital bases in the industry and a diversified ecosystem spanning retail banking, SMEs, corporate banking, consumer finance through FE CREDIT and securities brokerage via VPBankS.

Market observers note that consistently securing large-scale international financing requires banks to meet stringent standards in financial strength, asset quality, risk management, corporate governance, transparency and environmental and social risk management.

Repeatedly completing such transactions has helped VPBank strengthen its reputation among international investors while broadening its network of global financial partners, laying the groundwork for future access to overseas funding.

Supporting growth and sustainability

International funding provides benefits beyond liquidity management. By diversifying its funding base and securing long-term capital at competitive costs, VPBank has created additional capacity to expand lending while managing funding costs.

Alongside domestic deposits, overseas funding has supported the bank's credit growth, which continues to outpace the industry average.

As of the end of the first half of 2026, VPBank's consolidated outstanding loans exceeded VNĐ1.18 quadrillion, up 23 per cent from the beginning of the year. Lending at the parent bank reached VNĐ1.06 quadrillion.

This strong credit expansion translated into solid earnings performance, with consolidated pre-tax profit reaching nearly VNĐ18.9 trillion in the first six months of 2026, up 68 per cent year-on-year.

Looking ahead to the second half of the year, international funding is expected to become even more important as credit demand remains robust while competition for deposits persists.

Against this backdrop, access to large-scale, long-term funding from overseas markets enables VPBank to diversify its funding structure, optimise funding costs and maintain flexibility to support further business expansion.

The bank is also using international capital to advance its environmental, social and governance commitments.

At the end of 2025, VPBank's green loan portfolio had reached approximately VNĐ39 trillion, an increase of 78 per cent from the beginning of the year. The loans were directed towards sectors supporting the low-carbon transition, including renewable energy, low-emissions transport, green buildings, the circular economy and sustainable agriculture.

Meanwhile, outstanding loans to women-owned small- and medium-sized enterprises exceeded VNĐ25.6 trillion, up 38 per cent from a year earlier, reflecting the bank's continued focus on inclusive financing. — VNS