Ride-hailing firm scores $60 mln Deutsche Bank expansion loan
Deutsche Bank AG has provided Vietnam’s Be Group, a Grab and Gojek rival, with a loan facility of at least $60 million to expand its ride-hailing, food delivery, and digital banking services.
Be Group CEO Vu Hoang Yen (right) and Deutsche Bank corporate financing executive Abhay-Kumar Sinha sign their loan facility in HCMC on August 25, 2022. Photo courtesy of Be Group.
The transaction has a provision to extend financing to $100 million, Be Group said Monday, adding its CEO Vu Hoang Yen signed the loan facility with Abhay-Kumar Sinha, a Deutsche Bank corporate financing executive.
The funds will be used to fortify and expand its primary services namely ride-hailing, food delivery, and “Cake by VPBank” digital banking, as well as to access new services and markets, Be said.
Cake by VPBank is jointly developed by the startup and Vietnamese lender VPBank, which signed a strategic cooperation deal with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC) this May 2022 to fuel the Japanese giant’s expansion efforts in the Vietnamese market.
VPBank is a leading Vietnamese consumer loan provider thanks to VPBank SMBC Finance Co., formerly known as FE Credit, in which SMBC bought a 49% stake for $1.4 billion last year.
Be and VPBank are set to soon launch an immediately-approved consumer loan app, the Be CEO mentioned.
Be Group riders in a Vietnamese street. Photo courtesy of the company.
Be Group was launched in 2018. The startup says it currently operates in 28 provinces and cities in Vietnam, with its app already installed on more than 20 million mobile devices. It aims to become a leading multi-service consumer platform in the country.
- Read More
Vietnam’s VN-Index world’s second-worst performer in Apr amid US tariff turmoil
Vietnam’s benchmark VN-Index dropped by more than 80 points, or 6.2%, in April, ranking as the second-worst performing stock index globally, according to data compiled by IndexQ.
Finance - Sat, May 3, 2025 | 6:48 pm GMT+7
American International School Vietnam chairwoman arrested for disrupting public order
Ho Chi Minh City police's investigative agency on Thursday initiated legal proceedings against and detained chairwoman of American International School Vietnam (AISVN) Nguyen Thi Ut Em for "disturbing public order.”
Companies - Sat, May 3, 2025 | 5:07 pm GMT+7
Nike, Adidas ask President Trump for tariff exemption over business shutdown concerns
Major footwear and apparel brands, including Nike and Adidas which outsource a large portion of their output from Vietnam, are asking U.S. President Donald Trump for a tariff exemption due to concerns over looming cost surges and business shutdown.
Economy - Sat, May 3, 2025 | 1:12 pm GMT+7
Vietnam's Novaland wins lawsuit against Korean giant Taekwang Vina over HCMC project
Vietnam's leading developer Novaland has won a legal dispute with South Korea’s Taekwang Vina regarding a major real estate project in Thu Duc city, Ho Chi Minh City.
Companies - Sat, May 3, 2025 | 11:20 am GMT+7
Vietnamese approves two-year sandbox trial of P2P lending
Vietnam will roll out a two-year sandbox trial of peer-to-peer (P2P) lending, credit scoring, and data sharing via open application programming interfaces, starting July 1, according to a newly-issued government decree.
Banking & Finance - Sat, May 3, 2025 | 8:17 am GMT+7
Hyundai Vietnam joint venture to spend $100 mln on shipbuilding capacity expansion
Hyundai Vietnam Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (HVS), a joint venture between South Korea and Vietnam, is set to invest an extra $100 million in expanding its shipbuilding capacity in Vietnam.
Industries - Fri, May 2, 2025 | 8:03 pm GMT+7
Vietnam's economic hub HCMC moves closer to establishing int’l financial center
After more than two decades of planning, the vision of establishing an international financial center in Ho Chi Minh City is finally gaining real momentum as the Politburo has officially endorsed the proposal, drawing significant attention from investors.
Southeast Asia - Fri, May 2, 2025 | 6:04 pm GMT+7
Vietnam cuts LNG import tariff to boost clean energy transition
The Vietnamese Government has reduced the preferential import tariff on LNG from 5% to 2% under a decree issued on March 31, which marks a key step in accelerating the country’s shift from fossil fuels to cleaner energy.
Southeast Asia - Fri, May 2, 2025 | 3:26 pm GMT+7
Vietnam races against time to have EC’s 'yellow card' lifted before Sept 15
Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has proposed Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh issue an action plan to address the European Commission's (EC) “yellow card” warning and prepare for the fifth EC inspection.
Southeast Asia - Fri, May 2, 2025 | 3:21 pm GMT+7
Vietnam's property market sees mixed prospects in Q2: analysts
Vietnam’s real estate market is expected to see positive developments in Q2, with developers launching new projects, but uncertainties from U.S. trade policies may influence market sentiment and consumer confidence, said analysts.
Real Estate - Fri, May 2, 2025 | 3:14 pm GMT+7
Vietnam’s largest container fleet operator records 478% profit growth in Q1 on surging shipping rates
Vietnam’s Hai An Transport and Stevedoring JSC (HAH) reported after-tax profit of nearly VND274 billion ($10.54 million) in Q1/2025, skyrocketing 478% year-on-year, thanks to soaring shipping rates.
Companies - Fri, May 2, 2025 | 3:00 pm GMT+7
Vietnam's leading construction contractor Hoa Binh targets US market amid low domestic profit
Hoa Binh Construction Group, one of Vietnam's top contractors, is negotiating a joint venture agreement with American partners to pave the way for implementing major projects in the U.S.
Companies - Fri, May 2, 2025 | 2:04 pm GMT+7
Northern Vietnam province Hai Duong to have first urban area-golf course complex
Hai Duong province's authorities have granted in-principle approval for the Lien Hong New Urban Area and Golf Course project, with a total investment of VND11 trillion ($423 million).
Real Estate - Fri, May 2, 2025 | 9:59 am GMT+7
Central Vietnam 'awakened' by major resort projects
From once-abandoned coastal lands to emerging resort-urban areas, central Vietnam is witnessing a strong resurgence of investment.
Real Estate - Fri, May 2, 2025 | 9:22 am GMT+7
Vietnam Airlines posts strong profit on international passenger surge, fuel price decline
National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines (HVN) said on Wednesday that it recorded consolidated pre-tax profit of around VND3.6 trillion ($138 million) on consolidated revenue of approximately VND31.1 trillion ($1.2 billion) in Q1/2025.
Companies - Fri, May 2, 2025 | 8:17 am GMT+7
S Korean firms pledge nearly $2 bln in new investments in Indonesia
South Korea's companies will increase their investment in Indonesia by $1.7 billion, Indonesian Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto said on Monday after attending a meeting between a Korean business association and President Prabowo Subianto.
Southeast Asia - Thu, May 1, 2025 | 10:01 pm GMT+7
- Consulting
-
Rethinking resilience: How typhoon Yagi redefines supply chain strategies in northern Vietnam
-
Remove roadblocks to lure foreign investment into Vietnam: HSBC exec
-
AI can be a game changer for Vietnam tourism
-
In trade and investment, ASEAN and China are better together
-
Investment opportunities in LNG-to-power projects in Vietnam
-
Pepper prices 2024: will the dream of 'black gold' repeat?
