Joint stock commercial banks can easily implement capital increase plans using their shares, while State-owned commercial banks have to go through many rounds of approval to get the go-ahead from authorities on any planned capital increases.
Charter capital of banks is expected to have a big change this year as four State-owned banks are considering an increase in capital while the State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) has approved a capital hike for 21 private banks.
The group of the four biggest State-owned banks (Big4) have launched preferential loan packages with interest rate reductions of up to 3 per cent per year to lower short-term lending rates to only 7 per cent per year.
Việt Nam’s four biggest State-owned banks have an urgent need for capital increase in 2023 as their charter capital is too low, with some unable to ensure the regulated minimum capital adequacy ratio (CAR), according to industry insiders
Banks have continued to record a decrease in the ratio of return on earning assets due to the lending interest rate cut to support COVID-19 affected customers.
To meet the capital adequacy ratio (CAR) of the international banking standard Basel II as required by the State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV), many State-owned and private commercial joint-stock banks approved plans to increase capital early this year.
Banks, especially State-owned banks, are expected to increase their capital significantly this year as they are allowed to retain profits or pay dividend in shares instead of cash as previously.
The Government supports the policy of allowing four State-owned banks to raise charter capital, said Governor of the State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) Le Minh Hung.
On Wednesday, four State-owned banks said they would cut interest rates on dong loans in the Government’s priority sectors to support firms in 2019, starting from Thursday.
After keeping deposit interest rates unchanged for many months, three State-owned banks with the largest share of deposits have begun to follow in the footsteps of their private competitors and hiked rates recently.
State-owned banks are finding it more difficult to increase charter capital, especially when they still have to pay dividends instead of keeping the money for this purpose.
The Government’s recent decision on the restructuring of credit institutions ensures that State-owned banks listed on the market no longer have to worry about dividend payout in cash, experts said.