FTSE Russell: Post-upgrade, continuing collaboration with Vietnam to develop new products and index series

A representative of FTSE Russell said the scope for cooperation between the two sides remains large and reaffirmed that it will continue supporting Vietnam in developing its stock market, particularly in building new products, index families and benchmark indices in line with international practice.

On the afternoon of April 15, 2026, Chair Vu Thi Chan Phuong met with an FTSE Russell delegation led by Gerald Toledano, Global Head of Equity Products, Solutions and Alternatives, at the headquarters of the State Securities Commission.

Positive progress toward market upgrade

The meeting took place shortly after Vietnam received FTSE Russell’s March 2026 mid-term assessment report, which indicated positive progress toward upgrading the stock market to a secondary emerging market.

Chair Phuong briefed the delegation on market conditions and reforms being implemented to facilitate foreign investors’ participation in Vietnam’s stock market.

Regarding the Cooperation Agreement between FTSE Russell and the Vietnam Securities Exchange (VNX), she praised early results, especially in information exchange, sharing international experience, and developing and operating market indices. She also said she would continue to accompany the two sides to ensure the cooperation delivers the highest possible effectiveness.

FTSE Russell highlights longer-term significance

Mr. Gerald Toledano congratulated Vietnam on the confirmation that its stock market was upgraded to a secondary emerging market in the March 2026 assessment, alongside the plan to include Vietnamese shares in the FTSE All-World Index.

He said FTSE Russell has not recorded another upgrade to the emerging markets group over the long term, adding that Vietnam’s upgrade is meaningful not only for the domestic market but also for setting a new benchmark at a higher standard. He also noted that future upgrade-oriented markets will need to work even harder to achieve similar results to Vietnam.

Cooperation focus: indices, products and foreign access

FTSE Russell said there remains substantial room for cooperation and reiterated its commitment to support Vietnam’s stock market development, particularly through new products, index families and benchmark indices aligned with international practice.

FTSE Russell also pointed out that having a globally recognized, broad benchmark index system helps international investors access Vietnam’s market via index-tracking funds and passive investment products. It said this improves market accessibility and supports the expansion of foreign capital into Vietnam.

Operational steps discussed

In terms of specifics, the two sides discussed operational solutions to maximize foreign investor participation. They also discussed continuing to refine the regulatory framework to ease investment and business conditions, simplify administrative procedures, and advance implementation of Vietnam’s securities clearing and settlement system under a central counterparty model (CCP).

Agreed next steps

The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation further, with an emphasis on accelerating research and deployment of new products in line with international practice to diversify the market’s offering lineup. The goal is to broaden investment opportunities, enhance competitiveness, and encourage strong capital inflows from both domestic and foreign sources into Vietnam’s stock market.

FTSE All-World Index overview

The FTSE All-World Index is described as one of the world’s most widely recognized benchmarks for global equities, covering about 4,200 large- and mid-cap stocks across developed and emerging markets in more than 45 countries.

As part of the FTSE Global Equity Index Series (GEIS), the index represents about 90–95% of the global investable market, providing broad coverage and transparency for global equities in a single measure.