HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach Newswire - 11 August 2025 - F88 Investment Joint Stock Company (F88) on August 8 officially listed over 8.26 million shares for trading on the UPCoM platform.

With a reference price of VNĐ634,900 (US$24) per share on its first trading day, F88 now holds the highest market price among all listed companies across Vietnam's three stock exchanges, marking the beginning of a new chapter in its journey to standardise corporate governance and tap into the domestic capital market.

This milestone marks the first time a pawnbroking enterprise in Viet Nam has been publicly listed and traded on the stock exchange. Beyond a significant step toward transparency, F88's listing sets a new operational benchmark for the legal pawn sector in particular and the alternative finance industry in general – a sector that has long faced negative perceptions and limited access to capital.

On May 6, 2025, F88 was officially recognised by the State Securities Commission as a public company and deemed eligible to register for share trading in accordance with legal regulations. At the time of listing, F88's charter capital stood at over VNĐ82.6 billion, corresponding to more than 8.26 million outstanding shares. The company has also received approval to issue bonus shares from share premium reserves at a ratio of 1,200 per cent, which will increase its charter capital to over VNĐ1.1 trillion. This is an internal capital restructuring activity that does not dilute shareholder equity and is aimed at preparing for the company's next phase of growth, aligned with its operational scale.

"The official listing on UPCoM is not only a development milestone for F88 but also a pioneering move, introducing a new standard of transparency for Vietnam's alternative finance industry. This is a crucial step in enhancing our ability to access public capital, serving our long-term business goals. F88 clearly understands that entering the capital market is not just about transparency and regulatory oversight – it also serves as a financial catalyst to help us scale, upgrade operations, and get closer to our future target of listing on HoSE," said Phung Anh Tuan, Chairman of the Board of Directors at F88.

According to a special report published by FiinGroup in June 2025, Vietnam's pawnbroking market had an estimated outstanding loan balance of VNĐ200 trillion (approximately $8 billion) in 2024. Of this amount, "new-generation" pawn enterprises like F88 currently hold a market share of about 3.2%, indicating substantial room for future growth. Another notable trend is that while the number of traditional pawnshops is declining, new-generation pawn outlets – which integrate technology, centralised management and diverse services – are expanding rapidly.

To date, F88 operates 888 stores across 34 provinces and cities, accounting for around 70 per cent of all new-generation pawn outlets in Vietnam. The company aims to reach 1,000 transaction points by 2026 and expand to 2,000 stores by 2030. In addition to secured lending, F88 is also accelerating its growth in microinsurance and agent banking services. Through its strategic partnership with Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MBBank), F88 is gradually developing a model of "modern financial transaction offices" that provide essential services such as customer identification, deposits/withdrawals, fund transfers, loan referrals, and collection/payment services.

F88 is also rapidly pushing digital transformation through its MyF88 platform – a mobile application that recorded over 105,000 online loan customers just two months after launch. By 2026, the company targets to have 80 per cent of transactions conducted digitally, aiming to optimise operational efficiency and enhance customer experience.

For 2025, F88 has set a revenue growth target of 33 per cent. In the first half of the year, the company recorded VNĐ1.74 trillion in revenue, up 30 per cent year-on-year. Of this amount, revenue from lending activities reached VNĐ1.5 trillion, growing 28 per cent. Insurance and other services generated VNĐ199.6 billion and VNĐ6 billion, respectively, increasing by 45 and 360 per cent thanks to broader product coverage and effective cross-selling. Total disbursement value reached VNĐ7.1 trillion, up 36 per cent over the same period, while the net write-off ratio (net charge-offs to average outstanding loans) remained at 2.35 per cent. These results brought the company VNĐ321 billion in pre-tax profit – more than triple the figure from the same period last year.

Backed by a sustainable operating platform, transparent financials, and a clear digitalization strategy, F88 is steadily strengthening its governance capabilities, refining capital structure, and standardising operations to meet public company standards. The official UPCoM listing represents not only a transformation in capital structure but also reaffirms F88's pioneering role in shaping a transparent, regulated, and legally compliant alternative finance market where the public can access trustworthy and civilised financial services.