“Enhancing Market Resilience: A Cross-Regional Management Approach” was the theme of the Securities Market Development Conference held on the morning of February 21 in Quang Nam, Vietnam. The conference was attended by Mr. Nguyen Van Thang, Vietnam’s Minister of Finance, Ms. Julia Leung, Chair of the Asia-Pacific Regional Committee (APRC) of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), along with experts and financial management professionals.
In the context of digital transformation and emerging global financial-economic trends, the conference provided an opportunity for state regulatory agencies and businesses from Asia-Pacific countries to enhance awareness and exchange experiences in strengthening capital market resilience, ensuring stable growth, and promoting sustainable development.
The event focused on two key topics: challenges in digital asset management and sustainable information disclosure standards. These reflect critical issues in the digital economy and modern corporate governance trends, especially for frontier markets like Vietnam poised to become emerging markets.
The first discussion session revolved around the risks and challenges in digital asset management, particularly the legal framework and supervisory mechanisms in the context of rapid digital asset market growth. Experts and regulators from Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Australia, and others emphasized that regulatory inconsistencies across countries are creating significant barriers for investors and businesses. Establishing clear legal frameworks and flexible management mechanisms is seen as key to ensuring transparency and safety in this cross-border financial sector. This perspective was echoed by Mr. Bui Hoang Hai, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam State Securities Commission (SSC), in his presentation on the 25-year development journey of Vietnam’s stock market.
The second session focused on the challenges of sustainable information disclosure and harmonizing reporting standards across Southeast Asia. During the discussion, Mr. Vu Chi Dzung, Director of the International Cooperation Department of SSC Vietnam, expressed the need for compliance guidelines on sustainable reporting for Vietnam and Southeast Asia’s green taxonomy. Amid increasing pressure from investors and regulatory bodies, companies are compelled to enhance transparency in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting. However, the overlap between international and regional standards is posing difficulties for businesses trying to meet reporting requirements. Experts underscored the need for a standardized and unified system, enabling businesses to comply more easily and maintain consistency in information disclosure.
Dr. Nguyen Phuong Nam, CEO KLINOVA Climate Innovation Consulting & Services, attended the conference to share insights on aligning Southeast Asia’s green taxonomy with those of other regional countries. As a member of the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum (ACMF) Sustainable Disclosure Technical Working Group, Dr. Nam believes that an early adoption of Vietnam’s green taxonomy will provide both domestic and international stakeholders with a common language on green finance, unlocking capital flows currently not formally recognized as green. Furthermore, many green project sectors in Vietnam with potential for development are attracting interest from regional and global green financial institutions willing to take higher risks and invest in Vietnam ahead of 2030.
The Securities Market Development Conference was held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Regional Committee meeting (February 19-21), organized by the Vietnam State Securities Commission with the endorsement of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO). Through this series of annual industry events, financial and securities market regulators from various countries share knowledge and experiences in market management and supervision, discuss emerging challenges, and foster international cooperation to promote transparent, safe, stable, and efficient global financial and securities markets.
