Frequently Asked Questions

The Vietnam International Financial Centre (VIFC) is a purpose-built financial and corporate framework established by the Vietnamese government to attract international capital, businesses, and talent. It operates as a distinct regulatory environment within Vietnam, offering specialized licensing pathways and operational conditions designed for international businesses.

The VIFC is not a single physical location. It encompasses two platforms: VIFC Da Nang and VIFC Ho Chi Minh City.

VIFC Da Nang is positioned as a greenfield international financial hub. It is being developed as a dedicated district with specific infrastructure and incentives, focused on attracting globally oriented financial and corporate businesses. It represents a significant first-mover opportunity for businesses willing to establish early in a developing market.

VIFC Ho Chi Minh City operates within the existing commercial infrastructure of Vietnam's largest city. It offers immediate access to established banking relationships, a deeper talent pool, and the broader business ecosystem of Ho Chi Minh City.

The right choice depends on your business model, operational requirements, investor base, and long-term objectives. Pacific Point works with clients to assess both before making a recommendation.

Yes. The VIFC operates under a formal Vietnamese government framework with defined licensing categories, regulatory oversight, and compliance requirements. It is designed to meet international standards for financial center regulation and is positioned as a credible alternative to other established Asia Pacific financial hubs.

The VIFC framework accommodates a range of business types. Asset managers and fund managers can license investment management operations. International corporations can establish Vietnam-based entities for regional operations. Financial services firms, corporate holding structures, and wealth management operations are also eligible depending on the specific licensing pathway.

Not every business structure benefits from the VIFC. Part of the advisory process is determining whether the VIFC is the right fit before any applications are made.

International businesses entering Vietnam generally have several structural options. The VIFC framework offers a specialized pathway for financial and corporate operations with distinct regulatory advantages. Outside the VIFC, standard Vietnamese corporate structures are available through the general foreign investment framework.

The right entry pathway depends on the nature of the business, its investor base, its planned activities in Vietnam, and its long-term objectives. Pacific Point provides a comparative assessment of the available options before making any recommendation.

Entry timelines vary significantly depending on the entity type, license category, completeness of the application, and current regulatory workload. Pacific Point provides clients with realistic timeline expectations based on current conditions at the time of engagement. We do not provide best-case projections that are unlikely to hold in practice.

Presence requirements depend on the license category and entity type selected. Some structures require demonstrable economic substance in Vietnam, including local personnel, physical presence, and active management activities. Pacific Point advises clients on presence requirements specific to their structure before entry so that operational planning can begin early.

Banking access for VIFC-licensed entities depends on the entity type and the institution. Not all banks operating in Vietnam serve VIFC structures, and account opening for international businesses can be more involved than in other jurisdictions. Pacific Point manages the banking introduction process as part of the market entry engagement and advises clients on which institutions are most appropriate for their structure.

VIFC-licensed entities carry ongoing compliance obligations including AML/CFT requirements, economic substance requirements, annual regulatory reporting, and periodic review. The specific obligations vary by entity type and license category. Pacific Point designs compliance frameworks at the point of entry and provides ongoing advisory to ensure obligations are met without disrupting normal business operations.

Yes. Pacific Point provides registered agent, registered office, and corporate secretarial services for VIFC-licensed entities and connected offshore structures. This is a core part of what we do. Every client working with us on an ongoing basis has direct access to the senior advisors managing their entities.

Pacific Point provides director and officer services for VIFC-licensed entities where appropriate. The provision of director services carries real obligations and responsibilities. We discuss these in full with clients before any appointment is made and provide full transparency on what is involved.

Every engagement starts with a complimentary 30-minute call with a senior advisor. We discuss your objectives, your current structure, and your timeline. If Pacific Point is the right fit, we prepare a written scope of engagement covering deliverables, timeline, and fees. Work begins only once that document is agreed and signed by both parties.

Pacific Point operates on fixed fees agreed in writing before work begins. We do not use hourly billing. The scope document prepared at the start of every engagement specifies exactly what is included, what it costs, and what the timeline looks like. There are no billing surprises and no scope creep without a written change agreement from both parties.

Pacific Point does not provide legal advice. We are an advisory firm. Where clients require legal advice, we work alongside appropriately qualified legal counsel. We coordinate the legal process, manage the brief, and ensure that nothing falls through the gaps between the advisory and legal workstreams.

Pacific Point does not provide investment advice or manage investment portfolios. We are not a regulated financial services provider or asset manager. Our services are advisory and corporate services in nature. Clients requiring investment advice are referred to appropriately licensed professionals.

The most significant differentiator is genuine on-the-ground presence. Our team is based in Vietnam. We operate here. That means our knowledge is practical and current, not synthesized from reports or visits. We apply international standards to that local knowledge. That combination is rare in this market.

We also operate with a deliberately focused client roster. We take fewer clients than we could because the quality of work we deliver requires the capacity to give each client the attention their mandate deserves.