Facilitating regional growth

The State Securities Commission said that on October 21, the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum (ACMF) successfully held its 41st Chairman's Meeting in Vientiane, Laos, chaired by the Lao Securities Commission Office (LSCO). This is an annual ACMF Chairman's Meeting attended by representatives of capital market regulators from ten ASEAN member countries, who have jointly promoted the common goal of establishing deep, liquid and integrated ASEAN capital markets.

On the side of the State Securities Commission of Vietnam, the delegation led by Chairwoman of the State Securities Commission Vu Thi Chan Phuong attended the Conference.

Overview of the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum.

At the Conference, the ACMF adopted the ASEAN Transition Finance Guidelines (ATFG) Version 2, which provides additional guidance and clarification on different types and applications of transition finance, helps to unify terminology and promote better understanding among market participants on what constitutes a fair, equitable, credible and orderly transition to a low-carbon economy.

At the same time, ATFG Version 2 provides guidance on a reference transformation roadmap - thereby supporting companies in the ASEAN region to develop their own transformation plans, while helping investors and financial institutions understand and evaluate the same.

The Senior Leaders of the 10 ASEAN Securities Commissions noted the progress made on the ASEAN Voluntary Carbon Market Study and the ongoing development of the ASEAN Taxonomy on Sustainable Finance, as well as the progress on the ASEAN Collective Investment Scheme (CIS) initiative on harmonization of disclosure standards and amendments to the Memorandum of Understanding and Standards to meet the CIS requirements.

In addition, delegates at the ACMF Presidents’ Meeting acknowledged the promising developments of each member on standards for sustainability reporting, as well as appreciated the continued dialogue and cooperation with the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), recognizing the efforts and commitment of ISSB to achieve interoperability between sustainability reporting standards and support the adoption of IFRS sustainability reporting standards in the ASEAN region.

The Senior Leaders of the 10 ASEAN Securities Commissions noted the progress made on the ASEAN Voluntary Carbon Market Study and the ongoing development of the ASEAN Taxonomy on Sustainable Finance, as well as the progress on the ASEAN Collective Investment Scheme (CIS) initiative on harmonization of disclosure standards and amendments to the Memorandum of Understanding and Standards to meet the CIS requirements.

At the forum, ACMF members shared information on developments, policies, and regulatory frameworks for digital assets. Specifically, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Cambodia (SERC) shared their experiences in licensing and supervising digital assets.

Chairwoman of the State Securities Commission Vu Thi Chan Phuong shared at the conference about the journey of developing Vietnam's capital market, which has grown significantly over the past 20 years and played an important role in the economy. "This development did not happen overnight. We have made efforts to build an open, transparent and fair market. By following international standards, we have built trust from both domestic and foreign investors," the Chairwoman of the State Securities Commission emphasized.

The Chairman of the State Securities Commission also assessed that technology is changing rapidly, to catch up and seize opportunities, Vietnam will continue to modernize the market, focusing on areas such as digital finance, bonds and derivatives. Sustainable development will also continue to be a top priority when expanding the green financial market. “By working together through the ACMF, we can build stronger and more connected markets in the ASEAN region and become leaders in sustainable finance,” the Chairman of the State Securities Commission believes.

Chairmen of the State Securities Commissions of the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum shake hands as a souvenir.

Also at this Meeting, the ACMF approved the final assessment results of the ACMF Action Plan 2021-2025 with targets achieved without any initiatives being delayed or at risk and 85% of overall initiatives completed or on track.

With the desire to further advance the ACMF’s goals of financial sustainability, financial inclusion and resilience in the region, after extensive consultation with stakeholders within and outside the region, the Meeting adopted Five Strategic Drives relevant to the ongoing development of the ACMF Action Plan 2026–2030, namely: Building a more sustainable and resilient ACMF; Building a sustainable and resilient ASEAN community; Promoting financial inclusion and empowerment; (Enhancing regional integration and global positioning; and Promoting digitalization.

The conference concluded with the handover of the ACMF Chairmanship from the Lao Securities Commission Office (LSCO), ACMF Chairman 2024, to the Securities Commission of Malaysia (SCM) in 2025, with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (PSEC) as Vice Chairman.

The Summit adopted Five Strategic Drives relevant to the continued development of the ACMF Action Plan 2026–2030, namely: Building a more sustainable and resilient ACMF; Building a sustainable and resilient ASEAN community; Promoting financial inclusion and empowerment; (Strengthening regional integration and global positioning; and Promoting digitalization.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/dien-dan-thi-truong-von-asean-tiep-tuc-tao-dieu-kien-thuan-loi-cho-tang-truong-khu-vuc-post837858.html