BIDV ‘s total assets in 2018 reached over VND1,283,000 billion, maintaining its position as the largest commercial bank by assets with profit before tax hitting over VND9,625 billion. The information was released at the bank’s business conference held on 14 January 2019 in Hanoi.

BIDV fulfilled its business goals, shifting the operating model towards boosting retail, SME and FDI operations, maintaining a stable customer base, which laid solid foundations for the bank to complete its restructuring plan for the period 2016-2020. As of 31 December 2018, BIDV had completed all 13 targets, particularly:

• Total assets reached over VND1,283,000 billion, increasing 9.1 percent from 2017; maintaining the bank’s position as the largest commercial bank in Vietnam by assets.

• Total deposits hit over 1,202,000 billion, growing close to 9 percent, of which deposits from economic organisations and residents were over VND1,036,000 billion, gaining 11 percent and accounting for around 12.5 percent of total deposits of the banking sector.

• Total credits and investments reached over VND1,214,000 billion, rising 6.8 percent, of which loans to the economy were over VND977,000 billion, up 13.3 percent and accounting for as much as 13 percent of the total credit of the banking sector.

• Difference between revenue and expenditure jumped 13 percent. Profit before tax for the banking business alone grew 12 percent. Consolidated profit before tax reached over VND9,625 billion, surpassing the target set by the General Meeting of Shareholders.

• Subsidiaries and joint ventures performed stably, contributing VND666 billion to the overall profits of the bank’s system with a focus on the outstanding performance of Lao-Viet Bank, BIDV Securities Company and BIDV Insurance Corporation.

• BIDV continued to be among the top highest tax-payers in the country.

• The bank effectively implemented the socio-economic development policies formulated by the government as well as the monetary policies of the State Bank of Vietnam, contributing to stabilising both the national macro-economy and local economic development. The bank launched effective social security programmes which totaled over VND170 billion.

In the year, BIDV delivered outstanding performance in bad debt settlement; aggressively boosting digital banking. The bank led the market by retail banking business; successfully issuing VND4,586 billion of bonds, helping improve financial capacity. It also signed a USD300 million facility agreement with ADB - the largest commercial loan ADB has provided to an Asian commercial bank to date. BIDV was honoured by ADB as the leading partner bank in Vietnam for 3 years in row. Moody’s upgraded the bank’s baseline credit assessment from b3 to b2. BIDV established new correspondent relationships with eight foreign banks, raising the number of financial institutions the bank has established relationships with to 2,300 in 177 countries and territories

Addressing the conference, the governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Mr. Le Minh Hung recognised BIDV’s performance in the past year, affirming the bank is a particularly important instrument of the State, pioneering in implementing the policies of the government and the State Bank, and making significant contribution to the banking sector.

The governor lauded BIDV’s impressive business performance as well as support for the local socio-economic development and social security activities. He expressed his confidence that BIDV would successfully fulfill its tasks, contributing to the success of the banking sector in 2019.

Mr. Phan Duc Tu, chairman of the board of directors at BIDV said: BIDV is determined to fulfil the targets outlined in the restructuring plan one year earlier than planned which would lay solid foundations for the bank to make breakthroughs and sustainable development. The bank will enhance its financial capacity with a focus on the sale of stocks to foreign strategic shareholders. Digital banking will be boosted to strengthen the position of BIDV’s technology in the market.