Circular No. 27/2026/TT-NHNN Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of Circular No. 51/2024/TT-NHNN on Independent Auditing for Commercial Banks, Non-Bank Financial Institutions, Microfinance Organizations, and Branches of Foreign Banks

CIRCULAR

Amending and supplementing certain articles of Circular No. 51/2024/TT-NHNN on independent audit for commercial banks, non-bank credit institutions, microfinance organizations, and foreign bank branches

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

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

Pursuant to Decree No. 26/2025/NĐ-CP dated February 24, 2025 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, authorities, and organizational structure of the State Bank of Vietnam;

At the proposal of the Director of the Department of Safety Assurance of Credit Institutions;

The Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam hereby promulgates this Circular amending and supplementing certain articles of Circular No. 51/2024/TT-NHNN on independent audit for commercial banks, non-bank credit institutions, microfinance organizations, and foreign bank branches.

Article 1. Amending and supplementing certain clauses of Article 15

1. Amending and supplementing Clause 2 as follows:

"2. Within thirty days from the date of decision to select an independent auditing organization, it shall be responsible for sending a written notice about the selected independent auditing organization to the State Bank (directly to the State Bank or through postal services or online (if available)) according to the following provisions:

a) Credit institutions and foreign bank branches send to the State Bank (through the Department of Management and Supervision of Credit Institutions), except in cases stipulated in point b of this clause;

b) Foreign bank branches under the scope of safety micro-supervision of the State Bank branch in the region send to the State Bank branch in the region where the foreign bank branch is located."

2. Amending and supplementing Clause 4 as follows:

"4. Within ninety days from the end of the fiscal year, submit the results of independent audit to the State Bank (directly to the State Bank or through postal services or online (if available)) according to the provisions at point a and point b of Clause 2 of this Article."

Article 2. Amending and supplementing Article 16

“Article 16. Responsibilities of the State Bank branch in the region where the credit institution, foreign bank branch is located

1. Analyze, evaluate, and process the results of independent audit received according to Clause 4 of Article 15 of this Circular.

In case of discovering auditors and auditing organizations violating laws during the implementation of independent audit of credit institutions and foreign bank branches, the State Bank branch in the region reports and proposes timely handling to the Governor of the State Bank (through the Department of Management and Supervision of Credit Institutions).

2. Report to the Governor of the State Bank (through the Department of Management and Supervision of Credit Institutions) upon receiving a written notice from credit institutions and foreign bank branches as stipulated in Clause 5 of Article 15 of this Circular.

3. Inspect and supervise the implementation of regulations stipulated in this Circular and handle according to authority or recommend the Governor of the State Bank (through the Banking Inspection Department) to handle according to authority for credit institutions and foreign bank branches violating the regulations of this Circular and other laws on independent audit.

4. Provide professional opinions on monetary and banking matters in the audit report and management letter of foreign bank branches within the scope of safety micro-supervision of the State Bank branch in the region when requested by competent authorities."

Article 3. Amending and supplementing Article 17

"Article 17. Responsibilities of the Department of Management and Supervision of Credit Institutions

1. Aggregate and present to the Governor of the State Bank the reports of the State Bank branch in the region as stipulated in Clause 2 of Article 16 of this Circular.

2. Analyze, evaluate, and propose measures to handle the results of independent audit of credit institutions and foreign bank branches.

3. Report and propose to the Governor of the State Bank the following contents:

a) Cases stipulated in Clause 5 of Article 15 of this Circular;

b) Send notifications to the Ministry of Finance when discovering or receiving reports from the State Bank branch in the region as stipulated in Clause 1 of Article 16 of this Circular regarding auditors and auditing organizations violating laws during the implementation of independent audit of credit institutions and foreign bank branches.

4. Supervise the implementation of regulations stipulated in this Circular and handle according to authority or recommend the Governor of the State Bank to handle according to authority for credit institutions and foreign bank branches violating the regulations of this Circular and other laws on independent audit."

Article 4. Supplement Article 17a following Article 17

“Article 17a. Responsibilities of the State Bank of Vietnam Inspectorate

1. Inspect the implementation of regulations stipulated in this Circular and handle according to authority or recommend the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam to handle according to authority for credit institutions, foreign bank branches violating the provisions of this Circular and other laws on independent auditing.

2. Report and propose the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam to issue a notice to the Ministry of Finance in cases where violations by auditors practicing independently and auditing organizations are discovered during inspection work in the process of conducting independent audits of credit institutions and foreign bank branches.

Article 5. Removal of Clause from Article 22

Remove the phrase “Director of the Office, Director of the Banking Supervision Inspectorate”.

Article 6. Implementation Provisions

This Circular takes effect from August 10, 2026.

Article 7. Responsibility for Implementation

Heads of units under the State Bank of Vietnam, commercial banks, non-bank credit institutions, microfinance organizations, foreign bank branches, independent auditing organizations, auditors practicing independently, auditors, and related individuals and entities are responsible for implementing this Circular.