Swiss firms hopeful about Vietnam’s int’l financial centre

Winzenried described Ho Chi Minh City as a natural fit for an international financial centre, citing its strong regional connectivity, a young and energetic workforce, and an increasingly business-friendly environment that has attracted a wave of technology companies.

Stefan Winzenried, founder and CEO of JANZZ.technology. (Photo: VNA)
Stefan Winzenried, founder and CEO of JANZZ.technology. (Photo: VNA)

Geneva (VNA) – Vietnam is moving to establish an international financial centre in Ho Chi Minh and Da Nang, two of its most dynamic cities, a plan that includes controlled trial for digital assets which is attracting interest from Swiss investors.

The plan, enshrined in a resolution passed by the Vietnamese National Assembly on June 27, will create regulatory sandboxes for financial technology. As part of a push to drag Vietnam’s financial system into the modern age while slashing red tape, it has been welcomed by foreign investors.

Among those closely watching is Stefan Winzenried, founder and CEO of JANZZ.technology, a Swiss tech firm. Winzenried, who opened his company’s only branch outside Zurich in Ho Chi Minh City, said he has been investing in Vietnam’s potential since he first arrived as a marketing strategist and film producer in 1992. “I’ve always been interested in Vietnam,” he told the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)’s reporter in Switzerland.

He described Ho Chi Minh City as a natural fit for an international financial centre, citing its strong regional connectivity, a young and energetic workforce, and an increasingly business-friendly environment that has attracted a wave of technology companies. The recent administrative reforms have made long-term investment more feasible, Winzenried said.

Da Nang is also emerging as a focal point for the Swiss company. Winzenried, who met with Da Nang officials in Zurich last year, praised the city’s strategic ascent.

An administrative mergence with neighbouring Quang Nam province could further elevate Da Nang’s prospects, he noted. Such a move would expand its development space, unlock land and labour resources, and strengthen supply chain links to industrial parks and seaports, potentially transforming Da Nang into a major economic engine for Vietnam.

For companies like JANZZ.technology, more streamlined governance could ease the adoption of AI-driven labour market solutions, fostering the kind of highly skilled workforce that both Da Nang and the country need to realise their financial ambitions./.

VNA

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