Market Chatter: Sumitomo Mitsui Financial's Banking Unit in Talks to Lift Stake in VPBank to 20%

04:24 AM EDT, 09/25/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Sumitomo Mitsui Financial's (SMFG) Sumitomo Mitsui Banking unit is in advanced talks to increase its stake in VPBank, a Vietnamese private lender, Reuters reported Friday, citing four people familiar with the negotiations. The banking unit plans to expand its holding to about 20% from 15%, the sources said. While the companies intend to close the deal this year, they are at odds over valuation, according to two of the sources. One source told Bloomberg negotiations have been underway for months. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial did not immediately respond to a request for comment from MT Newswires. (Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)