HANOI: The race to finance major infrastructure projects worth hundreds of billions of US dollars is opening up new opportunities for profit growth in the banking sector.
Experts said the banking sector’s profit outlook for 2026 reflects not only the recovery of credit demand but also a fundamental shift in the composition of interest-earning assets, with major infrastructure projects emerging as a strategic, long-term pillar of lending and long-term pillar.
Analysts from Vietcombank Securities Co forecast that banking sector profits for the third quarter (3Q) and the full year of 2026 will remain on an upward trajectory, driven primarily by interest income.
The analysts said that state-owned banks and large private banks involved in infrastructure financing would be the main beneficiaries.
They projected credit growth of 15.6% for VietinBank in 2026, with an expected net interest margin (NIM) of 2.7% supported by policy measures.
VietinBank’s pre-tax profit is forecast to rise by 18% in 3Q and 26% for the full year, driven in part by active debt recovery and the transfer of the VietinBank Tower project, which is estimated to generate a profit of approximately five trillion dong.
At Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam, credit growth is projected to reach 16.1%, driven primarily by the wholesale banking segment. NIM is expected to stand at 2.1%, and the non-performing loan ratio is anticipated to fall to 1.3% by year-end. — Viet Nam News/ANN
