It is clear that the current bank merger & acquisition (M&A) trend will lead to a sharp cut in the number of banks in the system. But the quality of the banks after the M&A remains questionable.

At the April press conference of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) on Friday, the non-performing loans of the banking sector by the end of February were announced at VND122 trillion ($5.8 billion), accounting for 3.86 percent of the total debt balance.

 VietNamNet Bridge – While the State Bank of Vietnam believes that the merger of small and weak banks into larger and stronger ones will help speed up the bank restructuring process, experts don’t think this is a perfect solution.

 Information technology (IT) based services of the Vietnamese banking system were operating normally and still secure, the State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) stated in Thursday evening's press release.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Contrary to all predictions that the bitcoin would “die young” in Vietnam because of the rejection of the State Bank, the bitcoin still brims with vitality.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The watchdog agencies are considering laying the “rails” for VAMC (the Vietnam Asset Management Company) to go ahead to settle the bad debts it buys from credit institutions.

 Economy grows by 4.96% in Q1; Treasury mobilises VND2.99 trillion from G-bond issue; SBV postpones debt standards; CPI tumbles in Ha Noi, HCM City; SBV lowers interest rates on agri-loans

VietNamNet Bridge – The State Bank of Viet Nam has issued a circular allowing commercial banks an additional year before applying new, strict debt classification standards.

VietNamNet Bridge – Circular 05/2014/TT-NHNN (12 March 2014) issued by the State Bank of Viet Nam contains guidelines on opening and using indirect investment capital accounts for implementing foreign indirect investment activities in Viet Nam.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Transactions on foreign exchange (forex) trading floors are illegal in Viet Nam and violators can face administrative fines of up to VND100 million, or US$4,760.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Businessmen have affirmed that bitcoins will still be used in a “legal way” in Vietnam, even though the State Bank of Vietnam has denied the legitimacy of bitcoin as a currency in Vietnam.

Vietnam targets US$2 bil bilateral trade with Laos; Hi-tech glass outsourcing factory inaugurated; Increased input imports stoke industry recovery; Garment exports up 44.9% in February; Vinatex in search of investment

 The State Bank stated on February 27 that bitcoin and other virtual currencies are not legal tender or a permitted means of payment in Vietnam.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The number of commercial banks will be cut by a half from 30 currently, the head of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has confirmed.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV), countering Moody's valuation this week, reaffirmed (Feb 21) that the bad debt ratio of the banking system was 3.63 per cent last December.

 VietNamNet Bridge – A series of commercial banks tasted the failure when implementing their plans to raise chartered capital in 2013.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Commercial banks now can sigh with relief as the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has decided to amend the regulation on debt classification to save them.

Though the assets offered for sale are plentiful, only few deals have been made.

 Tan Tao back on VN30-Index; HCMC hotel rates to stay the same; SBV can now import unrefined gold duty-free; Exports down 11.5% in January; CPI rises slightly on low purchasing power

 VietNamNet Bridge – The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has affirmed that bitcoin is not a legal currency which is accepted in payment in Vietnam.