Vietnam is poised to launch its first-ever artificial intelligence ( AI ) data centre in a bid to elevate its position in the global technology landscape.

The hyperscale project, expected to cost approximately US$2.1 billion, is scheduled to break ground at the Tan Phu Trung Industrial Park in Ho Chi Minh City this April. This development signals a major advancement in the southern economic and financial hub’s ambition to become a regional focus for high-tech investment and digital innovation.

The project developer, Kinh Bac City Development Holding Corporation ( KBC ), continues to expand its portfolio of international partnerships.

This AI initiative follows the Vietnamese industrial property developer’s landmark collaboration with the Trump Organization, which broke ground in May 2025 on a US$1.5 billion golf and luxury resort complex in Hung Yen province near Hanoi.

High-growth sector

While the Hung Yen project focused on elite hospitality and sports infrastructure, this latest venture in Ho Chi Minh City represents KBC’s strategic pivot towards the high-growth sector of digital infrastructure and sovereign AI capabilities.

On March 11, Nguyen Van Duoc, chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, presided over the signing of a memorandum of understanding ( MOU ) between the Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Science and Technology and Accelerated Infrastructure Capital ( AIC ), a prominent international investor based in the United Kingdom.

The agreement facilitates the development of a state-of-the-art AI data centre led by a partnership represented by AIC and KBC, and several international partners. Investment registration documents have already been formally submitted to city authorities, with the total capital disbursement expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2027.

Technically, the hyperscale facility will adhere to international standards for energy efficiency and sustainability. The initial phase includes the development of an “AI Factory” with a capacity of 50 megawatts, equipped with approximately 28,000 graphics processing units ( GPUs ). Upon reaching commercial operation this year, the site will provide the computational scale necessary to serve international clients, support Vietnam’s sovereign AI requirements, and facilitate large-scale academic and industrial research.

Broader ecosystem

The project is expected to act as a catalyst for a broader technological ecosystem in southern Vietnam. By providing world-class data infrastructure, the initiative aims to attract high-tech firms, semiconductor supply chain participants, and specialized R&D centres to the region.

At the MOU signing, AIC co-founder Oliver Jones highlighted the strategic importance of Ho Chi Minh City’s support and technical infrastructure in realizing such a large-scale project. AIC, which manages a global portfolio of over US$20 billion, intends to leverage this partnership to establish a network of hyperscale data centres and next-generation cloud services across the region.

Financial backing for the US$2.1 billion venture is supported by VietinBank, which serves as the primary financial partner for consultancy and capital mobilization.

To ensure the project’s timely execution, Ho Chi Minh City established an interdisciplinary working group in late 2025, led by the director of the Department of Science and Technology, Lam Dinh Thang. This proactive governance reflects the city’s dedication to international economic integration and its commitment to fostering a competitive digital economy in line with national strategic objectives.