Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and the UK are strengthening cooperation to advance the development of a modern derivatives commodity market, seen as a key component in Vietnam’s roadmap to build an International Financial Centre.
The British Embassy in Vietnam and the British Consulate-General in Vietnam, in coordination with Boston Consulting Group (BCG), held a capacity-building session under the UK–Vietnam Growth Gateway initiative in Hanoi on March 5 to discuss strategies for developing a transparent and globally connected commodity and derivatives market.
Opening the event, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan said Vietnam aims to establish an international financial centre capable of linking regional and global markets, with derivatives trading playing an important role in enhancing market transparency, supporting enterprises in managing price risks, and attracting international investment flows.
He noted that the Government has issued Decree No. 330/2025/ND-CP governing the establishment and operation of commodity exchanges within Vietnam’s international financial centre, introducing a flexible legal framework aligned with international practices and establishing an independent clearing house model to strengthen risk management and system safety.
Vietnam’s commodity derivatives market recorded about 1.54 million contracts traded in 2025, up more than 34% year-on-year, with total transaction value estimated at over 1.9 quadrillion VND, reflecting improving liquidity. However, the linkage between derivatives trading and the domestic physical commodity market remains limited.
To address this, Vietnam plans to pilot physical commodity trading on exchanges for several key products, helping form domestic benchmark prices and enhance the country’s pricing influence in global markets.
The programme featured four thematic sessions covering global commodity and derivatives market trends, development models, and international experiences. Discussions also examined market structure, including exchange models, clearing mechanisms, legal frameworks and suitable product portfolios for Vietnam.
Participants highlighted the importance of strengthening risk management and market supervision, while promoting international cooperation to attract global investors and trading members to boost market liquidity.
Under the Growth Gateway programme, the UK government, Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade and BCG have conducted comparative studies, professional training and connections with leading UK exchanges, clearing houses and technology providers.
The UK is home to globally recognised institutions such as the London Metal Exchange, ICE Futures Europe and GMEX Group, whose governance and clearing systems are widely regarded as global standards.
UK Ambassador to Vietnam Iain Frew praised the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade, particularly the Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development, for studying international standards and advancing institutional reforms to support the derivatives commodity market.
He expressed confidence that Vietnam has strong potential to become an attractive commodity and derivatives trading hub in the region, reaffirming the UK’s commitment to supporting Vietnam in building an international financial centre and a modern, transparent commodity market./.
