Behind Viettel's billion-dollar overseas expansion: unseen stories from 20 years of global operations

On the occasion of its 20th anniversary, Viettel’s brand unveiled for the first time stories behind its overseas expansion through the series “20 Years of Viettel Global Business,” highlighting foreign investment results and the operational approach that helped the group scale across multiple markets.

Foreign investment delivers record international performance

In March, coinciding with the anniversary of its global business activities, Viettel Group set three international investment records: revenue, net profit, and gross margin.

The group’s revenue and profit reflect its scale and international footprint, with Viettel holding the top market share in seven markets. Gross profit margin has increased for two consecutive years to above 51%, indicating improved efficiency and competitive strength.

Lieutenant General Tao Duc Thang, Chairman and CEO of Viettel Group, said economic diplomacy has become a strategic spearhead under the close leadership of the Party and the State, helping Vietnamese enterprises expand overseas. He also noted that in early 2026 Viettel grew 19% year over year, with foreign investment contributing nearly 60% to overall growth.

Early overseas bets and rapid build-out

The series also revisits lesser-known milestones that preceded Viettel’s multi-market expansion. It highlights that in 2006, Viettel—then operating in mobile services for just over a year and holding about 20% of the domestic market—decided to invest in the Viettel Cambodia project.

Within two years, Viettel Cambodia expanded from a project team of fewer than 10 people to build the largest network among eight mobile operators in Cambodia. It also obtained Internet and mobile service licenses under the Metfone brand. By 2009, Metfone became the market share leader in Cambodia.

Hero of Labor Lieutenant General Hoang Anh Xuan, former CEO of Viettel Group, said the ability of the Viettel team to self-design, self-build, and self-operate the network was a key condition enabling investment abroad.

Expansion across eight markets

Beginning with Cambodia, the series traces Viettel’s expansion to Laos, Haiti, Mozambique, Timor-Leste, Burundi, Peru, Tanzania, and Myanmar—presenting the overseas journey as a step-by-step effort to compete in highly competitive environments.

Nguyen Manh Hung, Minister of Science & Technology and former Chairman and CEO of Viettel, said that to become stronger, companies need strong partners and must go out to compete with leading global firms.

Case stories from difficult operating environments

The series includes market-specific accounts of Viettel’s international business journey, describing how digital infrastructure and services developed by Viettel support people in distant and challenging locations, including Peru’s highest city in the Andes, the Amazon rainforest, and unstable areas such as Haiti and Myanmar.

One segment, “The Haiti Paradox,” recounts Viettel’s decision to continue investing just three days after the 2010 earthquake, when other companies had withdrawn. It follows Viettel’s sustained presence in Haiti amid Hurricane Matthew, armed violence, and a prolonged political crisis.

Lieutenant General Le Dang Dung, former Chairman and CEO of Viettel, said that while conditions were difficult, Viettel saw opportunities and aimed to support the Government of Haiti.

Scale of overseas operations and broader impact

Viettel’s international operations generate more than USD 3 billion in revenue annually and have maintained growth of around 20% for many years.

General Phan Van Giang, Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, Minister of National Defense, said not every company dares to pioneer under harsh conditions, and that people in those places talk about Viettel with pride. He made the remarks at the Viettel 20-year anniversary and the conferment of the Hero of Labor title to Viettel’s International Investment Joint Stock Company.

The series frames Viettel’s 20-year overseas journey as more than revenue, rankings, or the number of markets—describing it as the story of a Vietnamese brand extending the soldier’s resolve, a spirit of service, and national responsibility to the world.