BNP Paribas and KB Kookmin Bank are holding separate discussions to acquire a strategic stake in Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade (Techcombank), according to people familiar with the matter.
The potential buyers are each pursuing at least a 15% stake in the Vietnamese lender, which is valued at roughly $2 billion. Techcombank is seeking a valuation of about two times its book value, representing a 55% premium over its current market price. The bank, Vietnam’s third-largest privately owned lender by assets, remains one of the country’s few large private banks without a foreign strategic investor.
Foreign ownership in Techcombank currently stands at about 20.5%, below Vietnam’s 30% cap for most banks. Bidders are evaluating options including purchases from existing foreign shareholders. No formal agreement has been reached, and Techcombank is expected to select only one of the two potential investors. A deal could be finalized by the end of 2026 or in the first half of 2027.
Techcombank reported total assets of 1,273 trillion dong ($48.76 billion) as of June 30, 2026, and customer deposits of 697.4 trillion dong. Its first-half pretax profit rose 22.5% year-over-year to 18.5 trillion dong, driven by growth in net interest income and fee-based revenue. The bank serves more than 18 million clients, including over half of Vietnam’s high-net-worth and affluent customers, according to its 2025 annual report.
Techcombank’s shares were down 9% for the year as of August 26, 2026. The bank was founded in 1993 and operates as a major player in Vietnam’s rapidly expanding financial sector.
