Circular 18/2026/TT-NHNN amend Circular 17/2015/TT-NHNN on bank codes used in banking operations

CIRCULAR

Amending and supplementing a number of articles of Circular No. 17/2015/TT-NHNN regulating the system of bank codes used in banking operations and activities, as amended and supplemented by Circular No. 18/2023/TT-NHNN and Circular No. 11/2025/TT-NHNN

Pursuant to the Law No. 46/2010/QH12 on the State Bank of Vietnam;

Pursuant to the Law No. 32/2024/QH15 on Credit Institutions, which was amended and supplemented by the Law No. 96/2025/QH15;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 26/2025/ND-CP defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the State Bank of Vietnam;

At the proposal of the Director of the Information Technology Department;

The Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam hereby promulgates the Circular amending and supplementing a number of articles of Circular No. 17/2015/TT-NHNN regulating the system of bank codes used in banking operations and activities, as amended and supplemented by Circular No. 18/2023/TT-NHNN and Circular No. 11/2025/TT-NHNN.

Article 1. To amend and supplement Point b Clause 1 Article 2 as follows:

“b) Credit institutions, dependent units of credit institutions, overseas subsidiary banks of commercial banks (hereinafter referred to as overseas subsidiary banks), foreign bank branches, Vietnam-based representative offices of foreign credit institutions and other foreign institutions engaged in banking activities (hereinafter referred to as foreign representative offices); the State Treasury at the central and local levels;”.

Article 2. To repeal Clause 7 Article 3

Article 3. Amending and supplementing Article 9

“Article 9. Order and procedures for grant of bank codes

1. For units under the State Bank of Vietnam, when there is a demand for a bank code, the unit shall make a written request for the grant of a bank code, using the Appendix No. 01 issued together with this Circular and send it to the Information Technology Department via the State Bank of Vietnam's document management and administration system for the grant of a bank code.

2. For credit institutions, dependent units of credit institutions, overseas subsidiary banks, foreign bank branches, foreign representative offices, within 10 working days from the date of issuance of the establishment and operation license (new establishment, merger, consolidation, division, separation), operation license, or written approval of satisfaction of conditions for establishment, the unit under the State Bank of Vietnam assigned as the focal point for processing the grant of the license or written approval shall send information to the Information Technology Department in accordance with the technical guidance of the Information Technology Department.

3. For the State Treasury at the central and local levels, when there is a demand for a bank code, the State Treasury shall submit an online request for the grant of a bank code on the national public service portal, using the Appendix No. 01 issued together with this Circular.

4. For other organizations engaged in reporting and electronic data exchange related to the State Bank of Vietnam, when there is a demand for a bank code, the organizations shall submit an online request for the grant of a bank code on the national public service portal, using the Appendix No. 01 issued together with this Circular.

5. Processing of the grant of bank codes:

a) Within 03 working days from receipt of the information, the Information Technology Department shall grant a bank code according to a request specified in Clauses 1 and 2 of this Article and publicly disclose the bank code and bank information on the portal of the State Bank of Vietnam in accordance with Article 6 of this Circular.

b) Within 03 working days from the date of receipt of a valid request specified in Clauses 3 and 4 of this Article, the Information Technology Department shall grant a bank code, notify the result to the requesting entity on the national public service portal, using the Appendix No. 05 issued together with this Circular, and concurrently publicly disclose the bank code and bank information on the portal of the State Bank of Vietnam in accordance with Article 6 of this Circular.

c) In case of refusal to grant a bank code, the Information Technology Department shall notify the reasons for refusal to the requesting entity through the method used by such entity to submit the request for the grant of the code.”.

Article 4. Amending and supplementing Article 10

“Article 10. Order and procedures for cancellation of bank codes

1. For units under the State Bank of Vietnam, within 05 working days from the date of termination of operation, the Organization and Personnel Department shall make a written request for cancellation of the bank code, using the Appendix No. 02 issued together with this Circular and send it to the Information Technology Department via the State Bank of Vietnam's document management and administration system.

2. For credit institutions and foreign bank branches, within 05 working days from the date of issuance of the decision on revocation of the license or the decision on merger or consolidation, the unit under the State Bank of Vietnam assigned as the focal point for processing the revocation of the license, merger or consolidation shall send information to the Information Technology Department in accordance with the technical guidance of the Information Technology Department.

For a dependent unit of a credit institution, an overseas subsidiary bank of a commercial bank, or a foreign representative office, within 05 working days from the date of termination of operation stated in the report of the credit institution submitted to the State Bank of Vietnam, or from the date on which the written approval of satisfaction of conditions for establishment ceases to be valid, or from the date on which the dependent unit of the credit institution or overseas subsidiary bank automatically terminates operation or is dissolved, the unit under the State Bank of Vietnam assigned as the focal point for processing the termination of operation or receiving the report of the credit institution on the termination of operation of the dependent unit or overseas subsidiary bank shall send information to the Information Technology Department in accordance with the technical guidance of the Information Technology Department.

3. For the State Treasury at the central or local level, within 10 working days from the date of issuance of the Decision on termination of operation, or when professional operations or electronic data exchange activities via the State Bank of Vietnam no longer arise, the State Treasury shall submit an online request for cancellation of the bank code on the national public service portal, using the Appendix No. 02 issued together with this Circular.

4. Another organization engaged in reporting and electronic data exchange related to the State Bank of Vietnam that wish cancelling its bank code shall submit an online request for cancellation of a bank code on the national public service portal, using the Appendix No. 02 issued together with this Circular.

5. Processing of cancellation of bank codes:

a) Within 03 working days from receipt of the information, the Information Technology Department shall cancel the bank code according to the information specified in Clauses 1 and 2 of this Article and publicly disclose the status of the bank code and bank information on the portal of the State Bank of Vietnam in accordance with Article 6 of this Circular.

b) Within 03 working days from the date of receipt of a valid request specified in Clauses 3 and 4 of this Article, the Information Technology Department shall cancel the bank code, notify the result to the requesting entity on the national public service portal, using the Appendix No. 06 issued together with this Circular, and concurrently publicly disclose the status of the bank code and bank information on the portal of the State Bank of Vietnam in accordance with Article 6 of this Circular.

c) In case of refusal to cancel a bank code, the Information Technology Department shall notify the reasons for refusal to the entity requesting cancellation of the code through the method used by such entity to submit the request for cancellation of the code.”.

Article 5. Amending and supplementing Article 11a

“Article 11a. Sending and receipt of written requests in case the national public service portal encounters a system failure

In case the national public service portal encounters a system failure and is unable to operate, entities shall send their written requests specified in Clauses 3 and 4 Article 9, Clauses 3 and 4 Article 10, and Clauses 4 and 5 Article 11 of this Circular via postal services to the State Bank of Vietnam or submit them directly to the single-window section of the State Bank of Vietnam. The procedure for receipt of written requests shall be carried out in accordance with the single-window regulations of the State Bank of Vietnam. Processing results shall be sent to the requesting entities, and the bank codes and bank information shall be publicly disclosed on the portal of the State Bank of Vietnam in accordance with Article 6 of this Circular.”.

Article 6. Amending and supplementing Clause 1b Article 12

“1b. The Credit Institution Supervision Department and regional branches of the State Bank of Vietnam shall be responsible for providing information to the Information Technology Department in accordance with Clause 2 Article 9 and Clause 2 Article 10 of this Circular.”.

Article 7. Replacing and repealing a number of phrases, clauses, Articles, and Appendices

1. To replace the phrase “the State Bank’s public service portal” with the phrase “State Bank's portal” in Article 6 and Clause 6 Article 11.

2. To replace the phrase “the State Bank’s public service portal” with the phrase “the national public service portal” in Clauses 2, 3, 4, and 5 Article 11.

3. To replace Appendix No. 01 with Appendix No. 01 issued together with this Circular.

4. To replace the phrase “wholly foreign-owned banks” with the phrase “foreign subsidiary bank” in Article 11.

5. To repeal Appendix No. 04 issued together with Circular No. 17/2015/TT-NHNN.

Article 8. Implementation provisions

1. This Circular takes effect on May 19, 2026.

2. To repeal Clauses 4, 5, 6, and 8 Article 1 of Circular No. 18/2023/TT; and Clauses 2 and 4 Article 2 of Circular No. 11/2025/TT-NHNN.

Article 9. Transitional provision

1. Requests submitted by organizations on the State Bank’s public service portal before the effective date of this Circular shall continue to be processed by the Information Technology Department in accordance with Circular No. 17/2015/TT-NHNN.

2. In case a credit institution, a dependent unit of a credit institution, a foreign bank branch, or a foreign representative office has been granted an operation license or a written approval by the State Bank of Vietnam before the effective date of this Circular and has not yet been granted a bank code, the credit institution, foreign bank branch, or foreign representative office shall submit an online request for the grant of a bank code on the national public service portal, using the Appendix No. 01 issued together with this Circular.

Article 10. Responsibility for implementation organization

Heads of units under the State Bank of Vietnam, the State Treasury, credit institutions, foreign bank branches, and other organizations involved in reporting and electronic data exchange related to the State Bank of Vietnam, shall be responsible for organizing the implementation of this Circular./.

* All Appendices are not translated herein.