Unlocking credit flow right from the beginning of the Lunar New Year

On the first days of returning to direct transactions after the Tet holiday, the banking system has launched many incentives for customers, hoping for a lucky start to the Lunar New Year, opening up the flow of credit, promoting economic development.

Savings channel attracting customers

Particularly, at Saigon Thuong Tin Bank (Sacombank), individual customers who deposit online savings with a term of VND 100 million or deposit money into a savings book from VND 5 million from now until the end of February 29 will have the opportunity to receive valuable lucky money. Especially, on February 19, individual customers who deposit term savings at the counter will have the opportunity to receive lucky money up to VND2million. Corporate customers who make transactions at the counter at the earliest time will also receive lucky money. In addition, customers who buy SBJ gold will receive lucky money of VND 390,000 when paying QR via Sacombank Pay/mBanking app.

Province-based commercial banking system attracts many customers during the Lunar New Year. In the picture: Customers transacting at Vietcombank’s Binh Duong Branch

At Saigon - Hanoi Bank (SHB), along with giving money for customers who make transactions at the counter, this bank also offers preferential interest rates for deposits or loans during the Lunar New Year. Customers who deposit savings VND 30 million or more at the counter, with a minimum term of 6 months from now until March 31, will immediately receive gifts with a total value of up to VND 5 billion. For customers who deposit online savings with a minimum term of 6 months, SHB will add an additional interest rate of up to 0.3%/year compared to the interest rate at the counter.

Also on February 19, SHB will give lucky money to customers who make transactions at the counter and give an additional 0.08% preferential interest rate to customers who deposit online savings. From now until December 31, SHB reserves VND 18 trillion for individual customers borrowing capital to meet production, business needs and buy houses and cars... with the interest rates from 6.79%/year. Customers who use SHB's other products and services will receive an additional maximum discount of 0.8%/year.

Along with the form of cash lucky money and interest rate giving, lucky draw is also applied at some banks. At Ho Chi Minh City Development Bank (HDBank), for each deposit from VND 10 million, with a term of 1 month on the HDBank banking application and at the counter, customers will receive a code to participate in the lucky draw to win prizes, including savings books worth up to VND 1 billion and thousands of other gifts. The program is applied until March 4. Many other banks, namely ACB and SeABank…, are spending billions of dong for customers through giving away lucky draw cards with many attractive gifts, including cars, motorbikes and gold when they participate in depositing savings at the beginning of the Lunar New Year.

Tran Q.V. in Thu Dau Mot city’s Phu My ward, a customer who regularly transacts at BIDV’s Binh Duong branch said that in order to reap good luck in business, on the first day of the Lunar New Year, he takes some time to visit and deposit money at the bank. He shared: "I have made transtractions at BIDV’s Binh Duong branch for many years, witnessed many changes at the bank with  good customer care. For me, lucky money from the bank always brings luck and success in my business".

Increasing access to capital

After the Tet holiday, the amount of idle money in the market has increased and bank savings have continued being the storage and investment channel chosen by people because of its safety and convenience. Therefore, it was recorded that at many banks on the first days of the Lunar New Year, the number of customers coming to make transactions increased by about 15 - 20% compared to normal days, and there was even a time when some branches were overloaded and employees had to work constinously.

Customers deposit savings on the first days of the year at BIDV’s Binh Duong branch

Tran Ngoc Linh, Director of BIDV’s Binh Duong branch said that people at the beginning of the year have the psychology of getting lucky, so they will deposit money to bring luck for the whole year. Customers bustled to make transactions in a cheerful atmosphere, motivating all bank staff to work enthusiastically. Customers' savings, even the smallest ones, are worthy of respect and are the driving force for BIDV to continue promoting its strengths and increasing practical values ​​for customers. In the coming time, BIDV will further promote the provision of convenient products and services, especially promote credit for individual and business customers in the province.

Nguyen Thai Minh Quang, Director of Vietcombank’s Binh Duong branch shared that 2023 had good signs in business goals. Particularly, the branch achieved and exceeded assigned plans in such fields as promoting retail banking products and services, developing wholesale customers, shifting customers, especially for corporate customers using Digibiz and digital banking services to digital channels,... However, deposit interest rates across the sector are lower than the bottom level during the Covid-19 pandemic period. When the solutions of the Government and the State Bank focus on removing difficulties for businesses, helping the economy access credit loans and maintaining low interest rates, this will be an opportunity for banks to reduce mobilization costs to provide credit capital to people and businesses at more preferential interest rates, helping businesses reduce costs of production and business activities, increasing their operational efficiency.

Reported by Thanh Hong-Translated by Kim Tin