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The capital account comes first

A foreign-owned entity needs a Direct Investment Capital Account before charter capital can be paid in, and the window is 90 days from licensing. We prepare the pack, coordinate with your chosen bank, and track the deadline.

Step 1 of 5

What will the company do?

How is the company set up?

Who owns it?

Expected monthly activity?

Where is the charter capital coming from?
MPIPlanning & Investment
Business registrationForeign-owned entities
ImmigrationWork permits & TRCs
Tax & filingsLocal compliance

Who fits where

Our banking partners, side by side

Banking lane 12 of 12

No bank in this lane. Choose another lane or talk to a specialist.

BankBest forSpeedMin balanceWatch-out
Domestic bank Foreign-owned SMEs that want a domestic branch relationshipDepends on the fileSet by the bankGroup-level or multi-country cash management is not its strength
Domestic bank Manufacturers, logistics and industrial-zone companiesDepends on the fileSet by the bankLess oriented to very small services start-ups
International bank Subsidiaries of international groups and cross-border tradersDepends on the fileSet by the bankSmall, early or purely domestic files may be steered elsewhere
International bank Multinational subsidiaries and multi-currency operationsDepends on the fileSet by the bankSmall, early or purely domestic files may be steered elsewhere
Domestic bank Trading, import–export and larger domestic operationsDepends on the fileSet by the bankConfirm the branch’s practice for foreign-owned files before the visit
Domestic bank Larger domestic operations and industrial suppliersDepends on the fileSet by the bankConfirm the branch’s practice for foreign-owned files before the visit
Domestic bank Multi-site domestic operations and industrial parksDepends on the fileSet by the bankConfirm the branch’s practice for foreign-owned files before the visit
Domestic bank SMEs and services companies in the southDepends on the fileSet by the bankLess oriented to large industrial or project files
Domestic bank SMEs and consumer-facing businessesDepends on the fileSet by the bankLess oriented to large corporate or trade-finance files
Domestic bank Domestic trading with branch reach across provincesDepends on the fileSet by the bankLess oriented to cross-border group structures
International bank Subsidiaries of Korean and Asian groupsDepends on the fileSet by the bankBest approached with the group’s own documents ready
International bank ASEAN-linked groups and regional tradeDepends on the fileSet by the bankBest approached with the group’s own documents ready
Domestic bank
Best for
Foreign-owned SMEs that want a domestic branch relationship
Speed
Depends on the file
Min balance
Set by the bank
Watch
Group-level or multi-country cash management is not its strength
Domestic bank
Best for
Manufacturers, logistics and industrial-zone companies
Speed
Depends on the file
Min balance
Set by the bank
Watch
Less oriented to very small services start-ups
International bank
Best for
Subsidiaries of international groups and cross-border traders
Speed
Depends on the file
Min balance
Set by the bank
Watch
Small, early or purely domestic files may be steered elsewhere
International bank
Best for
Multinational subsidiaries and multi-currency operations
Speed
Depends on the file
Min balance
Set by the bank
Watch
Small, early or purely domestic files may be steered elsewhere
Domestic bank
Best for
Trading, import–export and larger domestic operations
Speed
Depends on the file
Min balance
Set by the bank
Watch
Confirm the branch’s practice for foreign-owned files before the visit
Domestic bank
Best for
Larger domestic operations and industrial suppliers
Speed
Depends on the file
Min balance
Set by the bank
Watch
Confirm the branch’s practice for foreign-owned files before the visit
Domestic bank
Best for
Multi-site domestic operations and industrial parks
Speed
Depends on the file
Min balance
Set by the bank
Watch
Confirm the branch’s practice for foreign-owned files before the visit
Domestic bank
Best for
SMEs and services companies in the south
Speed
Depends on the file
Min balance
Set by the bank
Watch
Less oriented to large industrial or project files
Domestic bank
Best for
SMEs and consumer-facing businesses
Speed
Depends on the file
Min balance
Set by the bank
Watch
Less oriented to large corporate or trade-finance files
Domestic bank
Best for
Domestic trading with branch reach across provinces
Speed
Depends on the file
Min balance
Set by the bank
Watch
Less oriented to cross-border group structures
International bank
Best for
Subsidiaries of Korean and Asian groups
Speed
Depends on the file
Min balance
Set by the bank
Watch
Best approached with the group’s own documents ready
International bank
Best for
ASEAN-linked groups and regional trade
Speed
Depends on the file
Min balance
Set by the bank
Watch
Best approached with the group’s own documents ready

How bank matching actually works

Activity

The registered lines of business, and whether they match what the company will actually do. Banks read the licence first.

Ownership

Who ultimately owns the company. A chart to the individual owners, with documents behind each layer, is what every bank asks for.

Entity and licence

A foreign-owned entity holds an Investment Registration Certificate as well as its Enterprise Registration Certificate; banks expect both in the file.

Charter capital

Where the capital comes from, and the plan to contribute it through the capital account inside the window from licensing.

Expected activity

Currencies, counterparties and monthly volume, in ranges. A domestic bank and an international bank read the same numbers differently.

Supporting records

Contracts, invoices or a plan that evidence the business. A file that shows the activity moves faster than one that describes it.

What shapes the opening time

Straightforward file
Shorter
A complete pack, a clear activity, resident signatories and traceable owners. The bank has nothing to come back on.
Typical file
Longer
The bank asks for clarification on ownership or activity and the pack goes back once. Most files land here.
Complex file
Longest
Corporate shareholders, several jurisdictions in the ownership chain, or an activity the bank rarely sees. International banks add group-level review.

Why Vietnam bank applications stall

Ownership not traceable

The bank cannot see who ultimately owns the company. A chart to the individual owners, with documents behind each layer, is what settles it.

Licence and activity disagree

The registered lines of business do not match what the company says it will do. The bank stops until the licence and the story line up.

Capital story unclear

Where the charter capital comes from is not evidenced. A bank expects a source it can document before the money reaches the capital account.

The account after the capital

Capital that arrives before the capital account exists, or after the window from licensing, creates a problem the bank will not want to inherit.

A group nobody has drawn

For an international bank, the parent, the intermediate holdings and the Vietnam entity have to be consistent across every document. Gaps are questions.

Too early for the lane

A very small or very early file approaching an international bank tends to be steered to a domestic one. Start in the lane that matches the size of the file.

What we handle

1

The capital-account pack

We assemble what your chosen bank needs for the Direct Investment Capital Account, to that bank’s current template.

2

Coordination with your bank

We deal with the bank through the application, so the questions come to us rather than to you.

3

The 90-day deadline

The window runs from licensing. We track it, and tell you what is outstanding while there is still time to act on it.

Talk to a Vietnam banking specialist first.

The capital account has to be open before charter capital can be paid in, and the clock starts at licensing. Tell us where you are in the process and we will tell you what the bank will need and how much of the 90 days you have left.

  • A dedicated specialist reviews your case.
  • Fixed scope in writing before any work begins.
  • Avg reply 3 minutes on WhatsApp, 24 × 7.

Request a consultation

Talk to a Vietnam specialist

Frequently asked

Is this every bank licensed in Vietnam?
No. The State Bank of Vietnam licenses many more credit institutions than the twelve compared here. This is a curated operational comparison for foreign-owned companies — three majority state-owned banks, five private joint-stock banks and four foreign-bank subsidiaries — grouped by the decision they help with, not ranked. Account opening at any of them remains the bank’s own decision.
Which Vietnamese bank is best for a new foreign-owned company?
There is no single best bank. A domestic bank tends to suit a company that will operate mostly in Vietnam and wants a branch relationship; an international bank tends to suit the subsidiary of a group it already banks, or a company with real cross-border needs. Activity, ownership, expected currencies and volumes decide it.
What is the Direct Investment Capital Account?
The account a foreign-owned entity opens to receive its charter capital. The capital is contributed through it, and the window to do so runs from licensing. Sequence the account before the contribution is due.
Can a newly registered company apply straight away?
It can apply once it holds its registration certificates and can show who owns it and what it will do. Banks will usually assess ownership, activity, expected transactions and supporting records before opening the account.
Does a signatory need to be in Vietnam?
Branch practice varies. Some files are handled with a resident legal representative; others ask a signatory to attend. We confirm the practice for the branch that will open your account before anything is booked.
How long does opening take?
It depends on the file more than the bank. A complete pack with a clear activity and traceable ownership moves fastest; corporate shareholders, several jurisdictions in the ownership chain, or an unusual activity take longer. We do not quote a number of days.
What documents will the bank ask for?
Company records — the registration certificates and charter — plus identity documents for the owners and signatories, an ownership chart, and evidence of the activity and the source of capital. Each bank has its own template; we prepare the pack to it.
What if the bank declines?
Bank decisions belong to the bank. If a file is declined we tell you why, as far as the bank tells us, and approach the next bank on the shortlist with the file corrected — usually the other lane.
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