VinFast IPO: EVs, Revenues, Valuation & How to Invest

This electric vehicle (EV) firm was founded in Vietnam but is now based in Singapore. The company started in 2017 and is part of the Vingroup conglomerate. Initially, the company was building combustion engine (petrol) vehicles but switched over to a complete EV focus in 2019.

Part of what makes this firm unique is that it recently became the first Vietnamese EV car and scooter manufacturer to expand into global markets. Vietnam is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, with a highly productive labour force. 

If VinFast can successfully utilise the skilled and efficient supply of workers from within Vietnam, it could catch up with more established competitors at a rapid pace. VinFast is also in the process of opening a multi-billion dollar manufacturing plant in California which aims to start producing cars by 2024.

The company also boasts European influence and partnerships for its design, engineering, and vehicle production, alongside building key relationships with the likes of General Motors (GM) and BMW.

Below is a breakdown of some key figures relating to VinFast and its electric vehicles:

The company filed for its US IPO on December 6 2022. It’s rumoured the company is looking to go public sometime during 2023.

However, VinFast Chief Executive Le Thi Thu Thuy said in a statement that “Valuation or the size of our IPO will be subject, in part, to market conditions,”.

So the choppy market conditions and general uncertainty we’re seeing in the stock market are likely reasons for the delay. 

Also, when VinFast initially floated the idea of an IPO, it was well-received. But over the last year or so, the excitement around EV stocks isn’t nearly as buzzing as it was.

It wouldn’t be surprising if this IPO gets delayed or pushed back further until VinFast can better capitalise with its initial public offering.

According to the SEC filing, the IPO is being underwritten by Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, and J.P. Morgan (amongst others).

It can be possible to order VinFast shares before the IPO. This is known as a “pre-placement.” In theory, several brokers may allow you to do just that. However, the only one which has already announced it will make an effort to give access to the VinFast IPO is Freedom24.

Among other brokers, TradeStation has not announced if and when it will become available but seems open to it since they offer access to US IPOs. Please take a look at both:

1# Freedom24

Founded in 2008, Freedom Finance, the official company name of Freedom24, has already offered to its 400,000+ worldwide clients participation in 280+ IPOs, including 40,000+ trade stocks, 1,500+ ETFs, 1,000+ US Stock Options, and 147,000+ bonds on the largest exchanges in Europe, Asia, and the US.

With Freedom24, the process of participating before the IPOs is incredibly straightforward:

1. Open an account with a minimum of 2,000 USD (the minimum for an IPO request);
2. Submit a request for the available IPO stocks before their respective IPO dates;
3. Freedom24 automatically credits your account with those shares purchased by them on your behalf (“oversubscribed” IPOs may make it difficult for your orders to be filled completely);
4. Sell your stocks after the 93-day lock-up period or purchase a forward sale contract through Freedom24 to lock your gains before the 93 days period.

To invest in the VinFast IPO, you will technically become a Freedom Finance client. Nothing to worry about here, that’s simply the name of the broker running the platform Freedom24. 

Want to know more about Freedom24? Check our Freedom24 review.

2# TradeStation

Founded in 1982, TradeStation is a US broker committed to offering you the best trading experience within their rewarded platforms and brokerage services. You can trade stocks, ETFs, options, futures, and crypto with competitive pricing models.

With TradeStation, you must follow these steps:

1. Open an account with a minimum of 500 USD;
2. Download the ClickIPO app (Available both on iOS and Android);
3. Register on ClickIPO’s trading platform and select TradeStation as your broker;
4. Link your TradeStation account in the “My Account” section of the ClickIPO app.

For US residents, you have zero commission trades (including the IPO stocks). For international investors, please consult their pricing here.

There is no guarantee that TradeStation will offer the VinFast IPO, still, the optionality is there. We encourage you to follow the company and wait for their official announcement. After that, ask TradeStation if they will offer it.

Alternatively, instead of placing a pre-placement order for VinFast shares before the IPO, you can wait until the public offering before attempting to buy the newly listed stock.

Interactive Brokers and eToro are two top-rated brokers where you can access VinFast shares and buy the stock with low fees after the IPO. Take a look at both these brokerage options below:

1# Interactive Brokers

Founded in 1978, the IBKR platform lets you access over 150 market destinations in 33 countries and trade any asset you may be looking for: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Forex, Funds, Commodities, Options, Futures, CFDs, Cryptos Futures, and even tiny small companies (a.k.a micro caps).

If you want to buy VinFast stock after the IPO, here’s how you can buy shares using Interactive Brokers:

1. Open a trading account with Interactive Brokers.
2. Deposit funds into your account.
3. Once it’s available, search for the VinFast stock, the ticker is rumoured to be ‘VFS’.
4. Place the type of order you wish to use (e.g. market, limit, stop etc.).
5. Once you’ve bought your desired number of VinFast shares, continue to monitor performance.

If you’d like to learn more about the IBKR platform, check out our full-length Interactive Brokers review.

2# eToro

Founded in 2006 in Israel, eToro now has over 30 million customers worldwide. The platform is widely known for its social and copy trading features. It allows users to trade stocks, forex, commodities, cryptocurrencies, CFDs, and ETFs.

If you’re planning to buy VinFast stock after the IPO, here’s how you can buy shares using eToro:

1. Open an account with eToro.
2. Head to the ‘Markets’ page, and select ‘Stocks’.
3. Search for the VinFast stock and select ‘Trade’.
4. Next, hit ‘BUY’.
5. Choose how much you want to invest in VinFast or the number of shares you want to buy.
6. Select your leverage (or ensure that leverage is set to X1).
7. Decide on a take-profit parameter if you want to automate a future sale of your VinFast stock.
8. Finally, hit ‘Open Trade’.

If you’d like to learn more about eToro, check out our in-depth eToro review.

Bottom line on investing in VinFast

The VinFast IPO is hotly anticipated amongst investors and electric vehicle enthusiasts. Traders worldwide will be hoping to buy shares in VinFast when they become available. However, the market isn’t as excited about EV stocks as it has been over recent years. This change in sentiment could lead to further delays for the VinFast IPO, because the company will want to make the most of the opportunity to become publicly listed – hoping to raise as much capital as possible. 

VinFast faces plenty of competition within the EV sector and it will be a tough challenge to beat some of its more-established rivals. But, as an underdog, this could present a better investment opportunity for growth if the shares are valued lower than the competition. 

As a private company that’s part of a larger conglomerate (Vingroup), financial details for the business aren’t readily accessible. VinFast and its parent company Vingroup are likely to keep some cards close to their chests while they focus on building up production levels and driving a bigger sales pipeline, waiting for that perfect opportunity to confirm a date for the VinFast IPO. 

Let us know in the comments below if you plan on investing in the VinFast IPO!