In Brief: Vietnam's Biggest Bank Becomes a Visa Issuer

Vietnam's largest commercial bank, Vietcombank, has begun issuing Visa credit cards in addition to MasterCards.

According to Cardweb Inc., a trade industry newsletter, the Vietnamese bank plans to issue about 1,500 cards this year, or about the same number issued until now through Visa's first issuing member in Vietnam, Asia Commercial Bank.

Vietcombank, which has issued about 1,200 MasterCards in the last two years, requires applicants to have a $400 monthly income. Vietnam has about 3,000 MasterCard/Visa merchant locations, according to Cardweb.

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