Breakthrough production, accelerated infrastructure
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Statistics Office, industrial production in Ho Chi Minh City in November 2025 continued to have a positive trend when entering the peak season, many businesses increased production to meet strong consumer demand at the end of the year. Many industries recorded high growth, typically electrical equipment production, textiles, and garments thanks to the synchronized supply chain after the administrative unit arrangement process, helping to reduce logistics costs and increase productivity.
In addition, departments, branches, localities and investors are focusing resources, accelerating progress, and removing obstacles to accelerate the disbursement of public investment capital.
Dr. Tran Quang Thang - Director of the Institute of Economics and Management of Ho Chi Minh City - commented that after a short period of implementing Resolution 98, the city has achieved and exceeded many socio-economic targets, creating a foundation for rapid and sustainable development. Key infrastructure projects such as ring roads, metro, canal and ditch renovation... have been removed in terms of capital and procedures, and progress has been accelerated. Along with that, the confidence of businesses and investors has increased when Ho Chi Minh City can make quick decisions, without being congested in the stage of seeking opinions from superiors.
In particular, regarding capital settlement and resettlement, Resolution 98 allows the city to use public investment budget to compensate, support and resettle right in the areas around the station, instead of waiting for central approval.
Thanks to special mechanisms, Ho Chi Minh City can quickly deploy intersections, reduce congestion and create momentum for regional development. Resolution 98 helps the city not only remove procedures for large projects such as metro line No. 1 and Ring Road 3, but also creates direct socio-economic impact: Increasing budget revenue from land exploitation, reducing traffic congestion, improving the quality of life and expanding job opportunities for people" - Mr. Thang emphasized.
Ho Chi Minh City is preparing to pilot a goods exchange and gradually towards forming the Ho Chi Minh City Goods Exchange, thereby bringing more goods closer to consumers.
Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Dung said that the city is focusing on implementing many key programs, including completing procedures to implement the Central Government's policy on building the Vietnam International Finance Center in Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh City leaders expect the International Finance Center to become an important capital mobilization channel, creating more resources for the business community.
Among the assigned tasks, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade is responsible for building the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Commodity Trading. Due to lack of experience in implementing this model, the department has proposed piloting by building a commodity trading floor, initially a pork trading floor.
Mr. Nguyen Nguyen Phuong - Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade - said that pork was chosen because through the previous traceability project, collected data showed that this product meets many international criteria to be put on the exchange. The Department has reported and was approved for piloting by city leaders. No later than the end of the first quarter of 2026, the pork exchange will officially operate.
Breakthrough expectations in 2026
According to the socio-economic situation report of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee submitted to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council, in 2025, GRDP is estimated to increase by 8.03%. Total GRDP reached 2.74 million billion VND, accounting for 23.5% of the country's GDP. Total budget revenue reached 748.438 billion VND, an increase of 9.6% compared to the same period and contributing 31.2% of the country. This is also the first year Ho Chi Minh City has completed the budget revenue target right from October.
In 2025, many socio-economic indicators increased sharply, showing a clear recovery of the city's economy. In which, tourism led with total revenue estimated at 260,000 billion VND, up 36.1% compared to the same period. Total retail sales of goods and service revenue increased by 13.5%; transport sector revenue increased by 14.3%; industrial production index increased by 9%.
At the same time, Ho Chi Minh City is also clearly seeing opportunities and challenges in the context of a "fragmented" and "uncertain" global economy. According to Dr. Truong Minh Huy Vu - Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Development Research Institute, the city possesses strong resources from a large population, a centralized training system to the advantages of seaports, urban areas, industry, and services. However, the city still has many limitations, especially in connecting transportation and infrastructure.
Ho Chi Minh City is therefore forced to have breakthrough solutions to break through in the new growth cycle.
Mr. Dominic Scriven - Chairman of Dragon Capital - said that 2026 will be a particularly favorable year for the Vietnamese economy. Recovery signals from businesses, public investment, export markets and capital markets show that the economy is converging many factors to break through.
GDP growth in 2026 may reach 9.3 - 10%, a scenario that was once considered out of reach; corporate profit growth is forecast to be over 16%.
A notable driving force is the inclusion of 5 million individual business households in the formal economic sector. New regulations such as bank payments and electronic invoices are expected to make cash flow transparent and expand contributions to the economy. This factor alone can help GDP increase by about 1% each year in the next 3 years.
“Belief has returned. Many businesses said they see the market brighter, orders more stable and have the motivation to expand investment. Vietnam is in a good position for the cycle. Breakthrough opportunities are very clear” - Mr. Scriven emphasized.
With the current growth momentum and the synergy of new drivers, Ho Chi Minh City is affirming its leading economic position in Vietnam. Not only recovering strongly, the city also leads new development trends in innovation, high-tech industry and high-quality services. Ho Chi Minh City's breakthrough is a positive signal for both the Southeast region and the national economy.
