Vietnam's domestic carbon exchange opened on June 29, but the country still needs banks and capital markets to actually move money into emissions reduction projects. At an October 14 workshop in Hanoi, VIR and the State Bank of Vietnam brought together regulators, lenders, and businesses to talk about how green credit policy can support the new market. The editor-in-chief made the point that a trading platform alone won't create liquidity or confidence without reliable data, verification, and financing tools. Vietnam has some early wins to build on. It received $51.5 million from the World Bank in 2024 for 10.3 million tonnes of verified emission reductions under the North Central Region programme. Decree 29/2026 and Decree 112/2026 set the legal framework for domestic trading and international transfers. The open question is whether banks can identify and price green projects well enough to lend against them, and whether carbon value becomes a real factor in financial decisions.
