The share repurchases are a part of the share buyback program of up to SEK 15,000,000,000 which Ericsson announced on April 16, 2026, and which runs between April 23, 2026, and March 31, 2027, at the latest. The Board of Directors intends to propose to the 2027 Annual General Meeting that the repurchased shares, other than those used to fulfil Ericsson's obligations under its share-related incentive programs, are cancelled.

The share buyback program is executed in accordance with the Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council on market abuse (MAR) and the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 of 8 March 2016 supplementing MAR (the Safe Harbour Regulation).

All acquisitions have been carried out on Nasdaq Stockholm by Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE on behalf of Ericsson. A full breakdown of the transactions is attached to this announcement.

Following the repurchases above, Ericsson's holding of treasury stock amounts to 95,169,316 Class B shares. There are in total 3,371,351,735 shares in Ericsson, 261,755,983 shares of Class A and 3,109,595,752 shares of Class B.

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Minesto's microgrid-scale power plant Dragon 4 has generated record breaking electricity production over the summer in Vestmannasund, Faroe Islands.

The tidal flows in Vestmanna have proven to be stronger than historically modelled and anticipated, creating additional potential for energy production. Combined with the enhanced hydrodynamic efficiency of Minesto's second-generation kite technology, the Dragon Class, this meant that the original power-take-off system did not fully capitalize on the inherent potential. In response, Minesto's engineering team developed a more powerful PTO.

This upgraded PTO system has successfully demonstrated improved energy production throughout all tidal flow cycles while simultaneously reducing system costs.

The graph below/attached is a power production graph comparing daily energy production from the Dragon 4 power plant before and after the upgrade.

"The published power production data illustrates stable generation that closely follows the intensity of the tidal currents in Vestmanna at the production site. We can clearly see that the upgraded Dragon 4 captures energy in proportion to the predicted available resource. Both curves are produced by our Dragon 4 "Saga" in Q2 and Q3 this year, the only hardware difference is the PTO" says Bernt Erik Westre, CTO at Minesto.

"With the results from this upgrade, we claim to have demonstrated the most efficient tidal energy power plant in the world in terms of energy conversion performance, proven over several months of production. The production performance is fully in line with our simulation models, further validating our ability to specify power plant configurations that maximize energy extraction at a given site," says Martin Edlund.

"The know-how and technology we have built over the years in integrating a power-take-off system into our unique Dragon systems has been hard-earned. The demanding and dynamic operating conditions created by tidal cycles and ocean environments make this expertise truly unique. With this new proven performance level, the commercial value of our intellectual property related to Dragon hardware and software has multiplied over the summer," Martin Edlund concludes.

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GLN expands its QR payment network to approximately 1.5 million merchants
nationwide through Seoul Pay integration.

Seoul Pay is a QR-based payment service introduced to reduce payment processing costs for small businesses. As an open payment platform, it enables multiple domestic and international payment services to operate through a single standardized QR code.

Beginning August 3, GLN secured access to approximately 500,000 Merchant Presented Mode (MPM) QR merchants through a partnership with Coocon, the operator of Seoul Pay. Combined with approximately 1 million Customer Presented Mode (CPM) QR merchants built through partnerships with Hana Card and other payment providers, the expanded network enables international visitors to make QR payments using their existing banking or fintech apps from their home countries — without exchanging currency or carrying physical payment cards.

GLN's transaction data shows that QR payment usage by inbound international travelers increased significantly during the first half of 2026 compared with the second half of 2025. Both transaction volume and transaction value through GLN's QR payment network grew by approximately 1,000%.

The company began expanding its nationwide QR payment network in the second half of 2025 by launching Hana Card QR merchants and integrating with payment terminals operated by Toss and Naver Pay, securing approximately 1 million QR payment merchants. With the addition of Seoul Pay's merchant network, the total number of QR payment merchants has increased to approximately 1.5 million, further accelerating QR payment adoption among international visitors to Korea.

Spending patterns among international travelers are expanding beyond the traditional shopping district of Myeong-dong to emerging commercial areas such as Seongsu. QR payment usage has grown significantly at popular retail brands in Seongsu, including Musinsa, Daelim Warehouse, Blue Elephant, NyuNyu, rom&nd and Ready Young Pharmacy.

QR payment usage has also increased across merchants frequently visited by international travelers, including Shinsegae Duty Free, Galleria Department Store, Daiso, as well as convenience stores, fashion retailers, restaurants and cafés, and the Seoul Metropolitan Subway.

In addition, international visitor spending is expanding beyond Seoul to major tourism destinations such as Busan and Jeju. As demand for Korea's beauty and medical tourism continues to grow, QR payment usage has also increased rapidly at dermatology clinics, plastic surgery clinics and pharmacies in these regions.

GLN currently provides QR payment services for visitors from Taiwan (China) and plans to expand the service to travelers from the United States, Canada, Singapore, Vietnam and Mongolia later this year. By 2027, the company aims to extend the service to more than 10 countries while expanding its QR payment merchant network in key tourist destinations such as Busan and Jeju, making it easier for international travelers to pay seamlessly across Korea.

"We will continue expanding our QR payment merchant network to provide inbound international travelers with a simple and convenient payment experience while contributing to the growth of local businesses and Korea's tourism industry," said Lee Suk, CEO of GLN.

GLN also provides outbound Korean travelers with QR payment and QR cash withdrawal services in 15 countries, including Vietnam, China, Thailand, the Philippines, Laos, Japan and Indonesia. Supported by a global network of more than 230 million QR merchants, GLN continues to strengthen its position as one of Asia's leading cross-border QR payment platforms.

NdotLight has developed TRINIX, a "simulation-ready" 3D data generation solution that can be directly applied to physical AI training simulations. As data becomes increasingly critical to physical AI, various approaches such as teleoperation have been explored. However, significant gaps in data quality, slow collection speed, and high costs have remained major bottlenecks when applying such data to simulation environments where real-world AI training takes place.

NdotLight addresses this challenge through an automated pipeline that generates 3D data with detailed physical properties such as mass and friction, as well as joint structures and collision boundary information. In particular, TRINIX integrates with NVIDIA Omniverse, NVIDIA's simulation platform, enabling the company to supply large-scale, high-quality 3D simulation datasets.

NdotLight currently provides AI training data to humanoid robotics and robotics foundation model companies, including Holiday Robotics, AeiRobot, ROBROS, and RLWRLD. The company is also participating as a data supplier in physical AI projects led by major enterprises such as Hyundai Motor Company and LG Electronics, validating its business potential as data infrastructure that can be applied in real-world industrial settings.

The NdotLight team brings strong technical and business expertise across AI and 3D graphics. CEO Jinyoung Park previously worked on 3D launcher development at Samsung Electronics, while CTO Suntae Kim led AI and 3D engine development at NAVER and Samsung Electronics. NdotLight has also been named by CB Insights, a global venture research firm, as one of the world's notable 3D engine companies. With this latest funding, the company is actively hiring top talent across all functions.

NAVER D2SF has built long-term partnerships with frontier startups by providing venture capital at the early stage and continuing to support their growth through follow-on investments. Since its first investment in NdotLight in 2021, NAVER D2SF has worked closely with the company to build a 3D content creation environment, followed by a subsequent investment in 2022. Through this additional investment, NAVER D2SF plans to explore new collaboration opportunities with NdotLight in physical AI.

"NdotLight is a team that has built deep trust with NAVER D2SF not only through our investments, but also through close collaboration as a resident startup at NAVER 1784," said Sanghwan Yang, Head of NAVER D2SF. "The team has consistently identified key opportunities ahead of fast-changing market shifts and moved quickly to execute on them. We expect NdotLight to take its next leap as a leading physical AI data company and achieve even greater growth."

NAVER D2SF is NAVER's in-house corporate venture arm, supporting sustainable growth by collaborating with startups. Founded in 1999, NAVER has maintained its position as Korea's leading search engine for over 20 years and operates across commerce, content, fintech, and cloud services. Under the technological vision of D2SF, NAVER is actively developing new technologies and global partnerships to grow as a leading tech company.

To learn more, visit https://d2sf.naver.com

Across the world's ten largest retailers, only a handful of executives at any time hold a Beauty & Personal Care buying P&L at the director level. Turley held one — at the largest of them all — for years. She spent more than 20 years at Walmart U.S. — Bentonville, Arkansas, inside a retailer with fiscal 2026 global revenues of US$713 billion — in Beauty & Personal Care buying and merchandising leadership, most recently as Director of Merchandising — Beauty, running a US$2 billion P&L. She made the decision GSC's AI Agents are built for: what gets bought.

Only a handful of executives across the world's largest retailers hold Beauty & Personal Care buying expertise at the level Turley brings — more than 20 years at Walmart U.S. (fiscal 2026 revenues US$713 billion), most recently as Director of Merchandising — Beauty, running a US$2 billion P&L. She now pairs that expertise with the fastest-scaling AI Agent procurement platform in CPG — GSC's AI Agents and the CPG Knowledge Graph, carrying brands into retail procurement at 11.5 million+ transactions a month. Her buyer judgment lands on an AI Agent stack already engineered for the buy side — deterministic, procurement-ready, and sustainable by design, resolving answers once instead of burning compute guessing.

"Everyone wins. GSC's makers get AI Agents built against real buyer judgment. Retail buyers get a sell side engineered for their gates — deterministic, procurement-ready, and sustainable by design, resolving answers once instead of burning compute guessing. And the GSC board gains a leader and a mentor — two decades of building winning categories and developing top merchant talent, now guiding the company that sells to the desk she ran. GSC is the first AI Agent company in CPG to appoint a Walmart U.S. merchandising leader to its Board of Directors," said Matthew Keddy, CEO, GreenCore Solutions Corp.

"For more than 20 years at Walmart, I evaluated brands through the lens of the customer, the category and the business—what earns distribution, what creates incremental growth and what ultimately deserves space on the shelf. AI is changing how brands and retailers find, evaluate and transact with one another, but strong retail decisions still require sound merchant judgment. I'm excited to bring that perspective to GSC as it builds technology designed around how retailers actually buy," said Julia Turley.

GSC supplies AI Agents to CPG makers, mounting a maker's SKUs onto GSC AI Agent infrastructure so those products become machine-discoverable, machine-orderable and procurement-ready for retailer, ERP and AI procurement systems. The Company's architecture combines its proprietary CPG Knowledge Graph powered by SPARKS with deterministic classification, sovereign resolution and commerce execution infrastructure — with a human in the loop on every purchase order.

The investment follows the strategic agreement between Debia and Newland signed on June 8 and marks a defining milestone in Debia's growth, establishing a strategic partnership to support its next phase of development across Southeast Asia.

Advancing Digital Payments Across ASEAN

With ambitions extending beyond payment processing, Debia aims to build a reliable and integrated digital payments ecosystem that enables merchants to accept payments seamlessly, reach customers across borders and participate more actively in ASEAN's rapidly growing digital economy.

This partnership marks an important step towards realising that vision.

Newland contributes expertise in payment technology, artificial intelligence, smart payment terminals, digital commerce and merchant services. Combined with Debia's regulated payments platform and regional market expertise, the partnership creates a strong foundation for innovation and sustainable growth.

In the near term, the partnership will focus on strengthening Debia's technology infrastructure, accelerating the development of new merchant solutions, and deepening collaboration with banks, payment partners and the broader payments ecosystem.

Looking further ahead, the partnership is expected to expand Debia's regional presence, enhance its cross-border payment capabilities and advance the development of increasingly intelligent and integrated payment solutions. Potential areas of collaboration include artificial intelligence applications within the payment ecosystem, merchant digitalisation, international card-scheme initiatives, cross-border acquiring and remittance, and new digital commerce solutions.

Commenting on the investment, Derrick Tham, Chief Executive Officer of Debia, said:

"Newland's investment is a powerful endorsement of Debia's regulated platform, merchant ecosystem and the long-term vision for Southeast Asia. The partnership brings together two companies with complementary strengths and a shared commitment to advancing digital payments in the region. We believe this partnership will create new opportunities to enhance merchant solutions, strengthen cross-border payment capabilities and contribute to the continued growth of ASEAN's digital payments ecosystem."

As Debia enters this next phase of growth, it remains committed to maintaining high standards of regulatory compliance and governance, delivering reliable and transparent merchant services, continuing to innovate, and expanding responsibly across the region. Together with Newland, Debia is well positioned to contribute to the continued growth of digital payments across Southeast Asia.

Website: www.debia.co

Fatema Al Nuaimi, Chief Executive Officer of ADNOC Gas, said: "This is a defining moment for ADNOC Gas. With the final investment decision and contract awards for the Rich Gas Development Project, we are not only accelerating one of the world's largest gas-processing growth programs – we are raising our ambition, targeting 60% EBITDA growth by 2030. These strategic investments will significantly expand our natural gas processing and export capacity, unlock lasting value for our shareholders, and position ADNOC Gas at the heart of the UAE's energy future. Beyond their economic impact, they safeguard the nation's energy security, power its industrial growth, and ensure we are ready to meet rising energy demand – at home and around the world.

At the same time, ADNOC Gas delivered resilient second-quarter net income above our guided range, despite a challenging operating environment, reflecting the strength of our business, the discipline of our execution, and the continued delivery of our long-term strategy."

These investment decisions raise ADNOC Gas' targeted EBITDA growth to 60%^[1] by 2030 versus 2023 – an upgrade from the previously communicated target of more than 40% over 2023-2029. The upgrade reflects the long-term value creation of the Company's project portfolio and its disciplined approach to capital allocation. ADNOC Gas now expects to invest approximately $28 billion between 2026 and 2030 to deliver this growth ambition.

ADNOC Gas has awarded $8.2 billion in EPC contracts for Phases 2 and 3 of the RGD project – $3.9 billion for Phase 2, to Wison Engineering, and $4.3 billion for Phase 3, to Tecnimont. These contracts build on Phase 1, announced in June 2025, which is expanding key processing units to increase throughput and improve operational efficiency, across multiple gas assets.

Phase 2, to be delivered by Wison Engineering, will add a new natural gas processing train at the Habshan facility, expanding ADNOC Gas' natural gas processing capacity, enhancing operational flexibility, and supporting the UAE's expanding downstream and petrochemical sectors. Phase 3, to be delivered by Tecnimont, will add a new natural gas liquids (NGL) fractionation train at Ruwais, increasing the recovery of higher-value liquids from rich natural gas for export, strengthening ADNOC Gas' global customer portfolio.

Together with the $5 billion committed to Phase 1, the new awards bring total investment in the RGD project to $13.2 billion. It will benefit from higher associated gas volumes as ADNOC progresses towards its production capacity ambitions.

Delivering one of the industry's largest gas growth programs

ADNOC Gas is executing one of the largest gas growth programs in the industry, spanning four megaprojects – Ruwais LNG, Maximizing Ethane Recovery and Monetization (MERAM), RGD and Estidama – which together are expected to generate $13.4 billion in In-Country Value (ICV), reinforcing the Company's contribution to the UAE's industrial development and economic diversification goals. The program continues to progress, with MERAM expected delivery in 2027 and Ruwais LNG and Estidama both advancing as planned. This growth is further underpinned by ADNOC's continued investment across the gas value chain – including the recently announced Bab Gas Cap and Umm Shaif Gas Cap developments – which will bring more natural gas and associated gas liquids into ADNOC Gas' integrated value chain, supporting additional feedstock, processing volumes, LNG exports and higher revenue streams.

Scaling AI and robotics across operations

ADNOC Gas is also scaling artificial intelligence and robotics – from aerial drones and four-legged inspection robots to tank-climbing crawlers – across its assets, with the potential to cut inspection costs by up to 75%, complete certain inspections up to 15 times faster and remove personnel from hazardous environments as it advances toward increasingly autonomous operations.

Results Overview

ADNOC Gas delivered net income of $665 million in Q2 2026 - above the upper end of the $400-600 million guidance range provided in the first quarter, reflecting strong operational performance in a challenging operating environment. This was supported by resilient margins in the domestic gas business.

Supported by its robust cash flow from operations, the Board has approved a quarterly dividend of $940 million, payable in September 2026, in line with the commitment to deliver annual dividend growth of 5% through 2030. ADNOC Gas remains the largest dividend payer on the ADX.

Habshan Complex Incidents

ADNOC Gas responded swiftly to the security-related incidents at the Habshan site on 3 and 8 April, prioritizing safety and minimizing disruptions to customers. The Company has concluded its technical assessment of the impact from these incidents and recovery has progressed ahead of schedule, with gas supply already restored to 85%, surpassing the year-end target set in May.

Q3 and Full-Year 2026 Outlook

Continued disruption to maritime movements through the Strait of Hormuz affected product liftings during the second quarter. Through proactive inventory, logistics and supply-chain management, ADNOC Gas worked closely with customers and partners to mitigate the impact of these disruptions, manage temporary constraints and fulfil commitments wherever possible.

For the third quarter, ADNOC Gas expects net income in the range of $600 to $800 million, based on the assumption that maritime routes through the Strait of Hormuz continue to be disrupted. Looking further ahead, if maritime operations are fully restored by the fourth quarter of 2026 and pricing realizations normalize, the Company expects full-year 2026 net income to range from $3.5 to $4 billion.

Cautionary note:

This announcement contains forward-looking statements concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of ADNOC Gas. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management's current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties (including, but not limited to, disruptions to maritime routes (including the Strait of Hormuz), geopolitical developments, fluctuations in commodity prices and product realizations, operational risks including those related to the Habshan complex, and the timing and execution of major capital projects) that could cause actual results, performance, or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. ADNOC Gas does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events, or other information. Results could differ materially from those stated, implied, or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

The company will direct proceeds primarily toward research and large-scale training of its next generation of biological foundation models, further strengthening performance on core tasks such as de novo molecular design, biological structure modeling and function prediction. Aureka will also upgrade Lab-in-the-Loop, its experiment-centered feedback engine, strengthening the closed-loop between those models and its proprietary single-cell functional screening, high-throughput experimental validation and drug development platforms.

With its closed-loop, AI-native infrastructure already built, Aureka is now strengthening the intelligence core of that system: its foundation models. Aureka combines large-scale pre-training, project-specific post-training, AI agents and experiments that run at scale into AI-for-Science infrastructure for the life sciences. In it, models do not just solve individual drug discovery tasks; they learn the rules of biology, to understand, generate, predict and intervene in complex biological systems.

As foundation models and automated R&D converge, Aureka is shifting from using AI to make drug discovery more efficient to using AI to model living systems, pushing both the technical frontier and the commercial ceiling of AI-driven drug discovery.

Closed-Loop AI-Native Infrastructure Builds a Stronger Intelligence Core

Founded in 2023, Aureka Biotechnologies is an AI-native TechBio company developing a new generation of biological foundation models and closed-loop infrastructure that surrounds them, combining AI models, agents, digital biology and experimental platforms to redesign the drug discovery process end to end.

Biology does not yield to computation alone; it depends on feedback from the physical world. Sustained improvement in large biological models requires more than advances in compute, algorithms and model architecture. It also takes high-quality experimental data that faithfully reflects molecular function, and an experimental system able to continuously test model hypotheses, correcting model bias and feeding results into the next iteration.

Aureka therefore treats Lab-in-the-Loop as core infrastructure for model development, integrating AI agents, high-throughput digital biology, proprietary single-cell functional screening and its in-house experimental platform. The resulting loop runs from molecular generation through experimental design, functional validation and model post-training to candidate development.

In this system, the laboratory is no longer a validation step that follows model output; it is a core part of how the model learns and improves. Models propose experimentally testable molecular designs and scientific hypotheses; the experimental platform generates high-quality functional data; and that data flows back into both the foundation model and project-specific models, driving continuous iteration into the next round of design and validation.

This Lab-in-the-Loop mechanism lets Aureka generate its own large-scale, information-dense functional experimental data for use in foundation model pre-training, reinforcement learning and project-specific post-training. Compared with development paths that rely mainly on public, static datasets, Aureka's models receive experimental feedback from live drug discovery programs and evolve through a continuous design–validation–learning cycle — a flywheel in which data, models, experiments and drug assets reinforce one another.

Foundation Model Capability Confirmed by Third-Party Evaluation

That infrastructure produced AuraIDE, Aureka's own biological foundation model. Trained at scale on proprietary protein co-evolution data, it learns how protein sequence, structure, evolution and function relate to one another. On biomolecular structure prediction and de novo molecular design, it now ranks among the leaders.

Rather than a single-purpose algorithm, AuraIDE is built to transfer across multiple drug discovery programs through task adaptation and project-specific post-training. Its capabilities extend from protein structure modeling and molecular generation into biomolecular interaction modeling, function prediction and multi-objective optimization under complex design constraints.

OpenDDE, the open-source version of AuraIDE, ranks among the world's leading open-source biomolecular models in independent third-party evaluations.

Together, the third-party evaluations and the wet-lab results indicate that Aureka's models lead on protein structure prediction and de novo design, and can translate that capability into measurable molecular function. Through continuous Lab-in-the-Loop feedback, they are moving from predicting biological structure toward generating biomolecules with intended function.

Third-party evaluation of OpenDDE on FoldBench v1, a public antibody–antigen structure prediction benchmark.
Source: Tamarind Bio, Open Models Beat AlphaFold3, FoldBench v1 benchmark.

Diversified Commercialization Turns Model Capability into High-Value Drug Assets

Building on its biological foundation models, proprietary single-cell functional screening platform and project-specific post-training, Aureka has produced high-value, differentiated antibodies at scale for problems that conventional approaches struggle with — from difficult target classes such as GPCRs to dual-target antibodies that require a single molecule to engage two targets.

Within a given program, Aureka post-trains its foundation model around target mechanism, functional phenotype and developability objectives, converting general biological intelligence into a dedicated model for a specific drug discovery problem. AI agents then work together across target understanding, molecular generation, computational assessment, experimental design and results analysis, with the resulting experimental data feeding back into that program's model.

The company's end-to-end, agentic R&D infrastructure connects molecular generation, developability assessment, experimental validation, results feedback and candidate development, allowing scientific hypotheses, model capability and experimental capacity to be converted rapidly into developable drug assets that support both internal pipeline programs and external collaborations.

Aureka has established strategic partnerships with multiple leading global pharmaceutical companies to advance the development of differentiated antibody therapeutics, and has generated tens of millions in revenue over the past two years — evidence of the platform's delivery capability, scalability and commercial potential in live drug discovery programs.

From Step-Level Efficiency to Simulating Biological Systems: Toward a Biological World Model

"When leading biological foundation models are genuinely combined with R&D infrastructure that can run at scale, we are no longer simply making one step of drug discovery more efficient — we are building the next-generation drug discovery engine, one that can understand, generate and predict biological systems," said Dr. Weian Zhao, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Aureka Biotechnologies. "This is a critical step in Aureka's progress toward a biological world model."

On Aureka's long-term roadmap, a biological world model does more than predict static molecular structures. It will simulate interactions between molecules, reason about the likely outcomes of molecular design and engineering, and support AI agents that plan, execute and iterate on drug design tasks autonomously.

With this financing, Aureka will further advance the co-evolution of its biological foundation models and closed-loop AI-native infrastructure, accelerate the validation and translation of model capability in live drug discovery programs, and continue to expand what generative AI can do in antibody drug development.

Investor Perspectives

Granite Asia, Yinghui Kuang:

"AI-driven drug discovery is moving beyond competition on isolated model capability and into a new phase defined by the co-evolution of data, models and experiments in a closed loop. Aureka has built complete AI-native R&D infrastructure with leading biological foundation models as its intelligence core, giving it the systemic ability to generate high-quality data continuously, iterate its models and convert them into drug assets. We are optimistic about the company's long-term technical ceiling in generative antibody design and its potential to grow globally."

HighLight Capital (HLC):

"We are delighted to have completed our investment in Aureka. The company is working to deeply integrate generative AI algorithms with high-throughput wet-lab platforms, with the potential to reshape the paradigm for biologics R&D. We think highly of the team's deep technical foundation in AI-enabled drug development and the efficiency of its closed loop. Going forward, we will continue to commit resources to help the company accelerate pipeline progress and technology iteration, and to bring AI to drug innovation worldwide."

MPCi, Yuye Wang:

"Aureka is a team we backed early and have continued to believe in. OpenDDE, the open-source all-atom model it released, demonstrates this young team's foresight in AI drug discovery and the strength of its technical foundations. Together with the differentiated pipeline the company has now built, we believe a team that combines innovative edge with strategic discipline will keep breaking through bottlenecks in drug development and bring genuine paradigm change to the industry."

NRL Capital:

"Aureka is defining the infrastructure standard for AI drug discovery. The open-source release of OpenDDE marks a key transition from innovation to systematic platform building, closing the loop between computational models and ultra-high-throughput automated wet-lab work and establishing Aureka's global voice in native infrastructure for broadly accessible drug discovery. We recognize the strategic vision of Dr. Weian Zhao and his team in driving industry change through an open-source ecosystem, and we are firm believers in the exponential gains that a dry-lab/wet-lab closed loop delivers in antibody design efficiency. NRL Capital has completed a follow-on investment in this round and will continue to support the company's global expansion and the realization of the global value of its AI infrastructure."

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Andrew Lam, Founder of am PLUS DESIGNS, was officially appointed Vice Chairman of the CIID Hong Kong Center

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

State major Vietcombank continued to lead the entire banking system with a coverage ratio of 279 per cent, followed by Agribank at 150 per cent. Banks with NPL coverage ratios above 100 per cent also encompassed VietinBank (134 per cent), Techcombank (125.5 per cent), and ACB (105 per cent).

Some banks that had NPL coverage ratios above 100 per cent at the end of 2025 have had to accept a thinner provisioning buffer as NPL growth outpaced the growth in their risk provisioning.

Photo: baodautu.vn

Specifically, BIDV’s NPL coverage ratio stood at 109 per cent at the end of 2025 but had fallen to just 76 per cent as of June 30.

ABBank’s NPL coverage ratio also declined to 87 per cent from 120 per cent at the end of last year. This was because BIDV’s NPLs increased by 31 per cent, while its risk provisions rose by only 6 per cent. Similarly, ABBank’s NPLs surged by 62 per cent, while its risk provisions increased by just 17 per cent.

Apart from the banks mentioned above, the average NPL coverage ratio was only around 50-60 per cent. Except for Vietcombank, which recorded a sharp increase in its NPL coverage ratio, most banks either saw the ratio decline or remain broadly flat.

According to the Q2/2026 business performance update by Rong Viet Securities Corporation, on-balance-sheet NPLs at listed banks, excluding Agribank, reached approximately $12.4 billion at the end of Q2. The NPL ratio edged up from 1.99 per cent at the end of Q1 to 2.01 per cent.

Net NPL formation alone reached nearly $2 billion in Q2, while credit risk provisioning expenses at banks amounted to just over $1.72 billion.

The total volume of newly formed NPLs exceeded new credit risk provisioning expenses, meaning that the system-wide NPL coverage ratio would continue to decline in Q2 from more than 80 per cent at the end of Q1.

Of particular concern, the NPL ratio is at risk of rising sharply in the second half of the year, meaning that NPL coverage ratios will continue to be eroded unless banks step up risk provisioning accordingly.

As of the end of Q2/2026, outstanding special-mention loans, or Group 2 loans, had risen to more than $8.48 billion. Net formation of Group 2 loans alone reached nearly $3.24 billion during the quarter, the highest level since Q1/2023.

This pressure has emerged as recoveries from loans previously written off as risk losses have begun to slow, amid signs of cooling liquidity in the real estate market – one of the key channels for the disposal of collateral – as interest rates remain high.

Therefore, although an increase in Group 2 loans does not necessarily mean that NPLs will rise, the risk is very high given current market conditions.

If NPLs continue to rise in the second half of the year, banks will face significant pressure to increase risk provisioning.

In particular, banks with low NPL coverage ratios will have to grapple with balancing their profit targets against the need to strengthen their provisioning buffers.

According to analysts, the sharp increase in NPLs and special-mention loans in Q2/2026 resulted from a rapid rise in lending rates, which in turn affected customers’ debt payment capacity, particularly in the retail segment.

Nevertheless, cutting lending rates is not easy when credit growth is running ahead of deposit growth and banks’ funding costs are becoming increasingly expensive.

VPBank’s separate Q1/2026 financial statements show that the bank’s credit growth reached nearly 25 per cent in the first half of this year, while deposits increased by only 15.8 per cent.

Its current account savings account (CASA) ratio – the proportion of non-term deposits in total customer deposits – fell to just 12.5 per cent from 14.6 per cent at the end of last year.

Similarly, at LPBank, credit had grown by 9.8 per cent as of the end of June 2026, while customer deposits increased by only 4.7 per cent. Its CASA ratio also declined from 8.45 per cent at the end of last year to 6.3 per cent as of June 30.

At ABBank, loan balances increased by more than 15 per cent in Q2/2026 alone compared with Q1, while deposits actually fell by 3 per cent, leaving the bank heavily dependent on the interbank market for funding.

Looking beyond VPBank, LPBank and ABBank, the financial statements of 28 commercial banks show that nearly all banks recorded slower deposit growth and a sharp decline in CASA ratios.

The proportion of short-term deposits, with maturities of one to six months, also fell sharply, while long-term deposits increased. The shift of funds from short to longer maturities in pursuit of higher interest rates is leaving banks increasingly short of low-cost funding.

Alongside higher deposit rates, the shift in the maturity structure of deposits is also pushing up lending rates, negatively affecting NPLs. Therefore, reducing lending rates is currently the most urgent solution to ease pressure from bad debts.

At the conclusion of the government’s regular July meeting on August 3, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung asked the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) to focus on measures to stabilise interest rates, ensure liquidity, strive to lower lending rates, reduce costs for the economy, and stabilise the monetary and foreign exchange markets.

The PM also instructed the SBV to strictly deal with unhealthy interest rate competition; manage credit growth in line with macroeconomic developments and the economy’s absorption capacity; facilitate access to capital for key national projects; tighten credit controls over potentially risky sectors; step up the resolution of bad debts; and accelerate the restructuring of credit institutions.

Banks see NPL relief as credit rebounds and Resolution 42 takes effect The banking sector is seeing signs of relief in non-performing loans (NPLs), with expectations of further improvement by year-end thanks to stronger credit growth and the formal legalisation of Resolution 42 to aid debt recovery.

Banks boost provisions as bad debt eases towards year-end The banking system is reinforcing risk buffers as bad debt trends downwards and credit accelerates, signalling a more stable phase marked by stronger asset quality and improving profitability.

Banks step up debt recovery to support earnings Banks are accelerating debt recovery and collateral liquidation efforts, helping stabilise non-performing loans and support profit growth amid narrowing net interest margins and improving credit conditions.

Banks strengthen provisions as bad debt risks re-emerge Vietnamese banks are strengthening risk management and provisioning buffers as rising bad debt signals prompt the sector to focus more closely on asset quality and long-term financial resilience.

• Multi-Disciplinary Curriculum: Five Streams of Specialisation — Big Data, Telecommunications, Cyber Security, Networked Systems and Information Science.

• Global Recognition: Ranked 37th globally in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering (QS World Rankings by Subject).

• Practical Training: Foundational training in Mathematics, Signals, Data Structures and Computer Networks before advancing to specialised subjects.

• Strong Career Outcomes: Approximately 90% of the programme's 100 annual graduates secure positions at renowned companies including Deloitte, PwC, HSBC, JP Morgan Chase, Huawei, IBM and Lenovo.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Under the agreement, VinSpace’s satellites will launch aboard a Transporter rideshare mission in 2027 as part of SpaceX’s rideshare programme, which enables multiple customers to share a single launch.

VinSpace is responsible for the research, development, manufacturing and on-orbit operation of its satellites. The satellites will support the on-orbit demonstration of in-house developed technologies, strengthen VinSpace’s satellite engineering capabilities, and pave the way for future commercial space applications.

The agreement provides an important foundation for VinSpace’s first satellite missions. In April 2026, the company announced its plan to develop and launch its first satellites into orbit in 2027.

The agreement represents another important step in VinSpace’s long-term vision to become a full-stack aerospace company, developing capabilities across the entire space value chain – from satellite design and manufacturing to Assembly, Integration and Testing, launch mission management, satellite operations, and downstream space data products and services.

Selecting SpaceX as its launch service provider reflects VinSpace’s strategy of working with the world’s leading technology companies to realise its first space missions.

Thu Vu, CEO of VinSpace said, “Reliable access to space is fundamental to turning satellite innovation into operational missions. This contract with SpaceX is an important milestone in VinSpace’s long-term strategy to help build Vietnam’s space ecosystem and strengthen the country’s position within the global space economy.”

VinSpace’s upcoming satellite missions are expected to provide an important platform for in-orbit technology validation, accelerate the development of Vietnam’s aerospace talent, deepen international collaboration, and support the commercialisation of space technologies.

As satellites, low Earth orbit constellations and other space technologies become increasingly important to economic growth, infrastructure resilience and national technological competitiveness, VinSpace is committed to strengthening Vietnam’s sovereign space capabilities while delivering commercially solutions for customers across Vietnam, Southeast Asia and international markets.

VinSpace plans first nano-satellite launch in 2027 VinSpace, part of Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup, plans to launch its first nano-satellites into orbit in 2027.

SpaceX to launch 100 per cent foreign-invested business in Vietnam SpaceX is completing procedures to establish a 100 per cent foreign-invested business in Vietnam.

SpaceX appoints Vietnamese CEO to lead Starlink Vietnam operations SpaceX's Starlink has appointed Do Ba Thich as CEO of its Vietnam entity, placing a young Vietnamese executive at the helm of its local operations for the first time.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this press release does not constitute an offer or invitation to sell or the solicitation of an offer or invitation to purchase or subscribe for units in Sunlight REIT in Hong Kong or any other jurisdiction.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Under the agreement, V-Green Indonesia will lease an 8,747-square-meter site owned by PT HK Realtindo (HKR) to develop the EV Charging Hub in Kemayoran. The model is particularly well suited for large land parcels, enabling landowners to optimize underutilized real estate assets and generate sustainable long-term revenue while allowing V-Green to rapidly expand its charging infrastructure network at strategic locations.

The EV Charging Hub is a large-scale charging infrastructure model that integrates multiple services within a single location to simultaneously serve the needs of individual EV owners, commercial fleet operators, and ride-hailing drivers. Scheduled to commence operations in October this year, VinFast's EV Charging Hub in Kemayoran will feature 36 EV chargers and 20 battery swapping stations for electric motorcycles, with the capacity to serve up to 56 electric cars and 220 electric motorcycles simultaneously.

In addition to fast-charging facilities for electric cars and battery swapping stations for electric motorcycles, the project will include dedicated parking areas for commercial fleets, rooftop solar panels to supplement on-site renewable energy generation, and a range of customer amenities such as rest areas, food and beverage outlets, and cafés.

The agreement with HKR represents the first major milestone following the Memorandum of Understanding signed between V-Green Indonesia and Hutama Karya Group in April 2026. Under the MoU, the two parties agreed to jointly explore the development of EV Charging Hubs on Hutama Karya's strategic land assets, while also collaborating to develop EV charging infrastructure across 29 rest areas along the Trans-Sumatra Toll Road.

In the next phase, V-Green plans to deploy EV chargers across these 29 rest areas, creating a large-scale charging network along one of Indonesia's key highway corridors and making long-distance EV travel more convenient for users.

Ekwan Hadyanto, President Director of PT HK Realtindo, said: "Our partnership with V-Green opens up new opportunities to maximize the value of HK Realtindo's land assets while demonstrating our commitment to supporting the Indonesian Government's efforts to accelerate sustainable transportation infrastructure. We expect the Kemayoran project to become the foundation for expanding our collaboration across many other strategic locations nationwide."

Mai Truong Giang, CEO of V-Green Indonesia, said: "Signing this agreement with PT HK Realtindo marks an important milestone in realizing V-Green's strategy to develop EV infrastructure throughout Indonesia. We believe the EV Charging Hub model will not only meet the country's rapidly growing demand for EV charging but also create sustainable value for V-Green's partners while contributing to Indonesia's green transition."

The Kemayoran project is expected to serve as a flagship integrated EV Charging Hub model in Indonesia, laying the foundation for V-Green to gradually replicate the concept across other strategic HK Group locations. Beyond enhancing the EV ownership experience, the model also creates new opportunities to unlock the value of strategically located land assets while establishing modern infrastructure hubs that support Indonesia's transport electrification.

The partnership with Hutama Karya, one of Indonesia's largest infrastructure groups, further reinforces V-Green's strategy of collaborating with leading local partners to build a modern, integrated, and accessible EV charging network across the country.

Globally, V-Green is rapidly expanding its electric vehicle charging network, which now comprises more than 150,000 charging ports, alongside battery swapping stations for electric motorcycles. In Indonesia, the Company has introduced a range of attractive incentives for users, including free charging for all VinFast electric car owners and a complimentary battery swapping program for VinFast electric motorcycles for one year, with up to 20 battery swaps per vehicle per month. Through these initiatives, V-Green aims to accelerate the adoption of electric mobility while contributing to regional and global decarbonization efforts and sustainable development.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Prof. Dr Nguyen Huu Huan, vice chairman of the VIFC, discusses investor opportunities. Photo: Bich Ngoc

Prof. Dr Nguyen Huu Huan, vice chairman of the Vietnam International Financial Centre in Ho Chi Minh City said that Vietnam is entering a new phase of development, with substantial demand for long-term capital for infrastructure, urban development, energy, green transition, and digital transformation. In the first half of 2026, Vietnam’s GDP grew by 8.18 per cent, while Ho Chi Minh City’s economy expanded by 8.55 per cent.

“Against this backdrop, the VIFC faces a very specific challenge – how to make it easier and more cost-competitive for international capital to flow into Vietnam, through a wider range of financial products and within an environment that international investors can genuinely trust and use,” Huan said.

This is also an important condition for supporting the target of achieving double-digit economic growth in Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam as a whole.

"We are not seeking to build a second Singapore or Hong Kong. The VIFC needs to establish its own position within the regional financial network, based on Vietnam's unique advantages," he said.

"Our advantage lies in becoming a financial gateway to an economy of more than 100 million people, characterised by strong growth, substantial investment demand, and increasingly deep integration into global value chains – particularly financial value chains," added Huan.

Pham Quang Nhat, director of the Investment and Trade Promotion Centre of Ho Chi Minh City, said that the city’s appeal to international investors has been reflected in concrete figures.

As of July, total foreign direct investment (FDI) in the city had reached more than $9.8 billion, up 144.5 per cent on-year. Notably, the city recorded 1,119 cases of capital contribution, share purchases, and purchases of contributed capital, with total registered capital of nearly $2.74 billion.

“These figures clearly demonstrate international investors’ confidence in and interest in the city’s development prospects. However, while attracting large volumes of capital is important, it is not enough. The key issue is not only the scale of registered capital, but also the quality of capital flows, the economy’s capacity to absorb them, and their spillover effects on production capacity, technological capabilities, human resources, and the competitiveness of domestic enterprises,” Nhat said.

“Going forward, investment promotion for VIFC will focus on identifying clear investment, business, and translating opportunities into concrete propositions, and creating the conditions needed to turn investor interest into action,” Nhat said.

Talking about the demand of office for VIFC, Le Trong Hieu, senior director of Office and Industrial Services at CBRE Vietnam, said that Ho Chi Minh City’s office market has undergone a significant qualitative shift in supply over the past decade.

“Total office space has increased from around one million square metres of net leasable area in 2015 to more than 1.7 million sq.m so far, accompanied by a notable increase in Grade A buildings meeting international standards. At the same time, Ho Chi Minh City has continued to cement its position as the country’s largest economic hub, attracting FDI inflows and an expanding presence of multinational corporations,” Hieu said.

The establishment of VIFC in Ho Chi Minh City is expected to become a new growth driver for the city’s office market over the medium to long term.

“The attraction of international financial institutions, investment funds, fintech companies, and professional services firms will create a new wave of corporate and high-quality talent migration to Ho Chi Minh City, driving growing demand for internationally standardised office space, particularly within the VIFC area,” he said.

During 2026-2028, approximately 76 per cent of future office supply is expected to be located close to the VIFC, all of which will be in the Grade A segment, reflecting market expectations for the emergence of a modern financial ecosystem in Ho Chi Minh City.

CBRE Vietnam's Le Trong Hieu discusses a decade of Ho Chi Minh City's office market. Photo: Bich Ngoc

VIFC shouldn't try to be Dubai, says VinaCapital chief economist Michael Kokalari, chief economist at VinaCapital and one of the seven founding members of Vietnam International Financial Center (VIFC), analyses what needs to be done to establish the centre.

Vietnam invites Swiss investors to join international financial centre Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Van Thang has chaired a business dialogue in Zurich to promote Vietnam's investment opportunities in finance and high technology.

Dutch businesses upbeat about Vietnam's reforms and IFC ambitions Dutch businesses have expressed confidence in Vietnam's economic prospects, institutional reform agenda, and plans to develop an international financial centre, while signalling interest in expanding cooperation in finance, logistics, high technology, and the green transition.

Photo: Amata

Construction and equipment installation are scheduled for completion in the second quarter of 2027, with full operational status targeted for the third quarter of 2027.

Established in 2018 across nearly 687 hectares, Amata City Halong has established itself as one of Quang Ninh province’s premier destination for foreign investment.

Photo: Amata

To date, the industrial park has attracted 24 foreign-invested enterprises with total capital over $3.3 billion, primarily focused on high-tech manufacturing, electronics, and supporting industries.

TianJian Vietnam's investment is expected to strengthen the supply chain network at Song Khoai Industrial Park, reinforcing Amata City Halong's position as a strategic destination for high-tech investors in northern Vietnam and contributing to Quang Ninh's socioeconomic development.

Amata City Ha Long seeks investment opportunities with China and South Korea In the last months of 2024, Amata City Ha Long has been actively boosting cooperation opportunities with its Chinese and South Korean counterparts.

Construction begins on new ready-built factory at Amata City Halong Amata City Halong JSC, part of Thailand’s industrial park developer Amata Corporation, signed a Land Use Right Sublease Agreement with CapitaLand SEA Logistics Fund (CSLF) on May 28, marking the launch of Avatar Vietnam – the first ready-built factory development within Song Khoai Industrial Park (Amata City Halong).

Amata City Ha Long develops Vietnam-Japan local-level cooperation Amata City Ha Long took part in the Vietnam-Japan Local Cooperation Conference and related events from November 24-25, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in coordination with the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam and Quang Ninh People's Committee.

Amata City Ha Long welcomes $15 million undertaking On April 15, Amata City Ha Long and Vietnam Mingfang Automobile Parts Industry signed a sublease agreement at Song Khoai Industrial Park, reinforcing investment momentum in Quang Ninh province in the north of the country.

Released on August 10, the Decision Lab Bank Satisfaction Rankings 2026 is an annual benchmark of how Vietnam's banks perform through the eyes of their customers. This year, 25 banks meet the inclusion criteria and are ranked accordingly, providing a comprehensive view of customer satisfaction across Vietnam's banking sector.

According to the rankings, Vietcombank takes the top spot with a net satisfaction score of 86.8. Techcombank follows closely on 85.9 and MB on 85.6, with MB adding 4.1 points over the year. VietinBank holds fourth on 82.3. The four highest scoring banks are separated by fewer than five points, reflecting a close competition for the top spots in this year's rankings.

Le Hoang Tung, deputy general director of Vietcombank, said, “Ranking first in the Decision Lab Bank Satisfaction Rankings 2026 recognises Vietcombank's continued efforts to improve the customer experience and raise the quality of our products and services under a customer-centred philosophy. This recognition from our customers is a powerful motivation for Vietcombank to hold firm to a direction of safe, effective and sustainable growth, and to keep transforming and innovating in order to deliver ever greater value to our customers.”

Several banks also record notable movements within the top 10. HSBC rises four places to join the five highest-ranked banks for customer satisfaction. Timo and Bac A Bank record the largest rank movements in the group, while BIDV, ACB and HD Bank remain among the top 10 banks for customer satisfaction. The top ten comprises state-owned, private and international banks, showing that high customer satisfaction is no longer concentrated in any one group of banks. With fewer than 10 points separating first and tenth place, even modest gains in customer satisfaction can reshape the top 10.

Manpreet Singh, head of customer propositions & marketing for International Wealth & Premier Banking at HSBC Vietnam, said, “Customers are at the heart of everything we do at HSBC. Being recognised in the Top 5 for customer satisfaction across all banks in Vietnam is a strong endorsement of the trust our customers place in us, and it reflects the care our teams bring to every interaction."

"This achievement strengthens our ambition to be the most trusted bank globally. We’ll keep thinking customer in every decision and delivering value through simpler, safer and more seamless journeys so customers feel supported and confident in the moments that matter most.”

Every bank in this year's top 10 records a net satisfaction score above 77, while fewer than 10 points separate first and tenth place. With the field this tightly grouped, Timo and Bac A Bank show the effect most clearly, climbing 10 and nine places respectively into the top 10 on the strength of a single year's improvement. Rank now turns on the pace of improvement as much as the level of satisfaction achieved.

The Top Improver Rankings rank banks by the size of their on-year gain rather than their absolute score, so they surface a different set of names from the overall ranking. SeA Bank leads with a gain of 13.7 points, the largest movement in the entire ranking, lifting its score to 76.2. Timo follows with a gain of 8.4 points to 80.6, and Vikki completes the top three with a gain of 7.4 points to 73.3.

Banks ramp up plans to establish VIFC subsidiaries Banks are accelerating plans to set up subsidiary banks at the Vietnam International Financial Centre to expand the ecosystem and enhance international competitiveness.

Vietnam’s top 100 brands leap 11 per cent in value to $43 billion Vietnam's top 100 brands have a combined value of $43 billion in 2026, an 11 per cent increase from the previous year, according to Brand Finance.

Vietnam’s consumer finance market shifts from expansion to sustainable quality Vietnam's consumer finance market is entering a new phase, with the focus shifting from scale to the quality of growth. Oanh Tran, senior manager of Market Research & Consulting Services at FiinGroup, spoked with VIR’s Thanh Van about the changes in the competitive landscape.

According to Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietnam’s seafood exports totalled nearly $6.86 billion in the first seven months of 2026, an increase of 11.5 per cent on-year. In July, seafood exports reached $1.1 billion, up 4.8 per cent compared to the same period in 2025.

China and Hong Kong remained Vietnam’s largest seafood market in July, importing more than $267 million, up 24.7 per cent on-year. During the first seven months, exports reached nearly $1.74 billion, an increase of 34.5 per cent.

Exports to the United States exceeded $159 million in July, up 6.3 per cent, while cumulative exports reached more than $1.05 billion, increasing just 0.3 per cent.

Exports to Japan totalled more than $144 million in July, rising 3.8 per cent, while cumulative exports increased 2.6 per cent. Exports to CPTPP markets reached more than $1.783 billion during the first seven months, up 8.1 per cent, making the bloc one of Vietnam’s most stable export destinations.

In contrast, exports to the EU declined 10.9 per cent in July and 2.7 per cent over the first seven months. South Korea fell 10.8 per cent in July, ASEAN declined 6 per cent, and the Middle East dropped 16 per cent.

VASEP noted that the scenario of seafood exports exceeding $12 billion in 2026 remains achievable following the $6.86 billion recorded during the first seven months. However, export growth in the remaining months of the year is expected to slow considerably from the current 11.5 per cent pace. The most immediate challenge comes from the US Section 301 tariff. The 12.5 per cent tariff imposed on Vietnam creates three concrete consequences.

First, new contracts with US buyers are likely to be renegotiated. Importers may request lower free on board prices, tariff-sharing arrangements, or shorter-term agreements.

Second, Vietnam is placed at a competitive disadvantage compared with Ecuador, India, and Indonesia, which face a 10 per cent tariff. This difference is particularly important for whiteleg shrimp, canned tuna, and standard frozen seafood products.

Third, the new tariff is applied on top of MFN duties, anti-dumping duties, and countervailing duties where applicable. Consequently, purchasing decisions will increasingly be made based on individual exporters and specific product lines rather than simple country-to-country comparisons.

"On the positive side, Vietnam has introduced regulations prohibiting the import of goods produced with forced labour, effective from early September 2026. This provides a basis for continued dialogue with the US. However, in the short term, there has been no official indication that the 12.5 per cent Section 301 tariff will be revised in the near future,” VASEP added.

Vietnam's seafood exports approach $5.8 billion in first half of 2026 Vietnam's seafood exports reached nearly $5.8 billion in the first half of 2026, up 12.8 per cent on-year, driven by stronger demand, market diversification, and improved product restructuring.

China imports $1.4 billion of Vietnamese seafood in first half of 2026 Stronger demand from China – Vietnam's largest shrimp export destination – is creating fresh momentum for the industry's growth amid continuing uncertainty in the US market.

Seafood Expo Asia draws exhibitors from four continents Seafood Expo Asia drew first-time exhibitors from four continents, with new national pavilions spanning wild-capture fisheries to smart aquaculture technology reflecting Asia's growing seafood demand.

According to the announcement on August 6, Gong cha, which is known around the world of its high quality, freshly brewed whole leaf tea made with premium ingredients, operates nearly 2,200 stores across 33 markets, with leading positions in key markets across Asia-Pacific including Japan, South Korea and Australia, alongside a growing presence across the Americas and Europe.

The company deploys a capital-light franchise model, underpinned by its Gong cha 2.0 “Digital Kitchen” – its flexible store blueprint centred around its innovative drinks dispensing technology, and serves more than 150 million beverages annually to customers.

Bain Capital will work closely with Gong cha’s highly experienced management team to support the company’s next phase of growth while keeping operational excellence, and customer experience that have underpinned the brand's success.

This will focus on continuing the company’s disciplined store expansion programme in Japan and Korea, where the brand has built a highly loyal customer base and established strong brand recognition, while accelerating its growth in the US, where Gong cha’s direct franchising model and contracted pipeline provide a multi-year runway for unit growth. Alongside this, the company will focus on deepening customer engagement through product innovation, digital marketing, and loyalty initiatives.

Bain Capital brings extensive experience in the global consumer, retail, and restaurant sectors to the partnership, including investments in Domino’s Pizza Japan, Skylark, York Holdings, Fogo de Chão, Sizzling Platter, Gail’s and Retail Zoo. The firm’s hands-on operational approach has supported franchise businesses across store development, franchisee recruitment, marketing, and supply chain efficiency.

“Gong cha has built a distinctive and globally recognised brand with a loyal customer base and franchisee economics that are among the strongest in the sector. The management team’s disciplined approach to store expansion has created a strong platform with significant room to grow across Asia-Pacific, including in Japan, and the Americas. We look forward to partnering with the team to support the next phase of the Group’s growth and continuing to develop its operations and marketing, which has been fundamental to its success to date,” said Naofumi Nishi, a partner at Bain Capital.

“We are grateful to TA for its partnership and shared commitment to Gong cha’s long-term success” said Paul Reynish, Global CEO of Gong cha. “TA’s investment has been instrumental in supporting our global expansion and the continued development of our business model. As we begin this next chapter with Bain Capital, we look forward to building on this momentum and bringing more high-quality whole leaf tea to consumers around the world.”

Edward Sippel, managing director at TA, said, “Gong cha is an excellent business with a talented leadership team and strong foundation for continued growth. We’re proud of what the team has accomplished and look forward to watching the company’s next chapter unfold,”

The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions.

Vietnam's M&A market enters more selective phase Vietnam's M&A market is entering a more selective phase as investors increasingly prioritise high-quality assets and long-term value creation over transaction size.

AllianzGI acquires UOB Asset Management, including its Vietnam operations Allianz Global Investors, one of the world’s leading active asset managers, has entered into an agreement to acquire UOB Asset Management, the asset management business of Singapore-headquartered UOB Group.

Discipline shapes M&A environment Experts in Vietnam are cautiously positive in terms of dealmaking for the rest of 2026 after momentum improved in the second quarter, and new acquisitions continue to move forward.

High-level conference sessions featuring leading Vietnamese and international speakers will discuss the outlook and future direction of Vietnam’s industrial property market.

There will also be recognition of organisations demonstrating leadership in green industrial development; an exhibition showcasing products, services, projects, and innovative eco-IP models; and investment networking activities and industrial site visits to exemplary developments.

Time: 1–8pm, August 26, 2026

Venue: The Reverie Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City

Organisers: Vietnam Investment Review in partnership with the Vietnam Industrial Real Estate Association

Please visit vipf.vir.com.vn for details

INSEE high-tech ecocycle factory in An Giang province, Photo: Le Toan

Speaking at a late July forum on developing smart and eco-industrial parks (eco-IPs) organised by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Dong Nai, Mickaël Driol, CEO of Mekong Partners, said that Vietnam’s competitive advantage in attracting foreign direct investment is entering a new phase of transformation.

“Vietnam can no longer rely solely on low labour costs, a strategic location, and incentives to attract investors. In the coming years, the ability to meet green standards, manage emissions, and develop industrial ecosystems will become the key competitive advantages,” Driol said.

He noted that green compliance and supply chain resilience have become prerequisites for joining global value chains rather than costs to manage.

“New EU regulations such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the EU Deforestation Regulation, and stricter traceability requirements mean investors increasingly evaluate companies based on emissions data and Scope 3 emissions,” he added.

While Vietnam remains well positioned to benefit from global supply chain realignment thanks to strong trade growth and robust foreign investment inflows, Driol stressed that supply chain resilience and market access now matter as much as cost competitiveness in decisions.

“Against this backdrop, eco-IPs would become the new benchmark for industrial development. Eco-IP certification is a strategic tool to lower operating costs, comply with CBAM, and attract international financiers,” he added.

Driol proposed a next-generation IP model centred on decarbonisation, digitalisation, and connectivity by integrating renewable energy, smart grids, real-time emissions monitoring, industrial symbiosis, and green logistics into a unified ecosystem.

Talking with VIR, Hardy Diec, COO of KCN Vietnam, said sustainability criteria are playing an increasingly important role in site selection decisions.

“Green development is becoming a key component of the competitive advantage of both IPs and manufacturers,” Diec said. “As environmental, social, and governance requirements and emissions standards become more deeply embedded in global supply chains, choosing industrial projects with a strong sustainability focus will enable businesses to operate more efficiently while meeting the expectations of international customers.”

According to industry experts, major international investors are seeking a green industrial ecosystem in which factories are designed and operated to meet smart standards from the outset.

This view was echoed by Bui Tan Hung, head of Gas and Renewables at TotalEnergies. He said the mindset of investors has shifted markedly: rather than focusing primarily on land costs or logistics, their first question is now whether reliable access to clean energy is available.

“Despite growing demand, however, the rollout of rooftop solar systems in IPs continues to face significant obstacles. These include conflicts of interest among stakeholders and the lack of electricity operation licences held by some IP infrastructure developers,” Hung said at a Solar & Storage Live event in July in Ho Chi Minh City.

Hung added that ensuring access to clean electricity, together with implementing direct power purchase agreements for industrial customers, remains one of the sector’s most pressing challenges.

Nguyen Kim Long, Standing Vice Chairman of Dong Nai People’s Committee, said that green transformation and emissions reduction are urgent priorities that must be addressed today.

He noted that with its large industrial base, strategic location, abundant land resources, and well-developed infrastructure, Dong Nai is well positioned to become a national leader in the development of smart, eco, and high-tech IPs.

“However, these advantages will only translate into sustainable growth if they are matched by new thinking, new approaches, and close coordination among government authorities, IP developers, manufacturers, financial institutions, research organisations, and the wider community,” Long said.

In Vietnam, the transition towards eco-IP based on international standards began in 2014. So far, five IPs have been selected as pilot projects: DEEP C in Haiphong, Amata in Dong Nai, Hiep Phuoc in Ho Chi Minh City, Hoa Khanh in Danang, and Tra Noc 1 and 2 in Can Tho.

Gene King, CIO, BW Industrial Development We see Resolution No.10-NQ/TW as one of the most consequential policy shifts for industrial real estate since Vietnam’s original wave of foreign direct investment (FDI) liberalisation. This aligns closely with what we have already been seeing on the ground: FDI is increasingly flowing into higher-value sectors such as electronics, semiconductors, AI infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing. At BW Industrial Development, high-value-added industries already account for nearly half of our ready-built factory leased area. Moreover, demand from homegrown manufacture in global supply chains is also emerging. For industrial real estate specifically, we believe this changes what “investment-ready” means. We have long said that long-term competitiveness depends not just on infrastructure, but on reliable power, a strong supplier network, workforce availability, and the government’s ability to deliver infrastructure projects on schedule. Resolution 10 formalises this same logic at the national level, tying Vietnam’s FDI targets directly to infrastructure upgrades, green and digital economy development, and stronger domestic links. The new resolution is closely aligned with our existing strategy. We believe developers who have already invested in higher-spec, power-ready facilities will be best positioned to capture the more selective, higher-value FDI this policy is designed to attract. This resolution should strengthen Vietnam’s investment environment and accelerate the industrial real estate market’s transition towards more integrated and technology-enabled industrial ecosystems. Resolution 10’s push for higher localisation also mirrors what we’re already seeing among our tenants, as Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers increasingly follow major manufacturers into Vietnam and build more complete supply chains here, rather than relying solely on imports. BW still has a nearly 200-hectare industrial land bank ready for development in our nationwide pipeline, giving us room to rapidly respond to any demand shift, and we’re scaling up our war chest through partnerships like a recent $120 million joint venture to address the continuing inbound facility demand from electronics, automotive, and other high-value industries. We’re also watching land constraints closely in hubs like former Binh Duong and Dong Nai province, where development timelines tend to run longer than in some regional peers, which is exactly why staying ahead on land matters. At the product level, we will continue to develop high quality, universal-spec, flexible facilities with environmental, social, and governance embedded in the base design. This includes LEED-ready specifications, rooftop solar, and multi-storey design that improve land-use efficiency. We are also investing in infrastructure ahead of demand. Our MoUs with BV Power and VSSES, for example, are designed to provide scalable power infrastructure at BW Supply Chain City for future hyperscale data centres and advanced manufacturing users.