Gold Price in Vietnam per Chi & Lượng — SJC 9999 Live Rate
Việt Nam · Gold Market Brief
Vietnamese buyers don't price gold in grams. They price it in chi and lượng. Walk into any shop from Hà Nội's Hàng Bạc to Hồ Chí Minh City's Nguyễn An Ninh and you'll see rates quoted as VND per chi for jewellery and per lượng for SJC 9999 bars.
Spot / Troy oz
$4,131.80
International USD
Per Chi (3.75 g)
$498.15
Jewellery standard
Per Lượng (37.5 g)
$4981.51
= 1 cây, SJC bars
SJC Premium
15–25%
Above world spot
Chi, Lượng, Cây — the Vietnamese Decimal Ladder
Vietnam uses a decimal traditional system built around the lượng, which equals 37.5 grams — larger than the Chinese tael (37.429 g) and the Hong Kong tael (37.429 g). Every other unit is a tenth of the one above it.
| Unit | Weight | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Lượng (cây) | 37.5 g | SJC gold bars, investment |
| 1 Chỉ | 3.75 g | Jewellery, small bars, gifts |
| 1 Phân | 0.375 g | Wedding bands, small rings |
| 1 Ly | 0.0375 g | Rare, fine jewellery calculations |
Vocabulary: Cây (tree) and lượng are used interchangeably in spoken Vietnamese — một cây vàng and một lượng vàng mean the same thing. Chỉ is a straightforward tenth of a lượng, the same way a dime is a tenth of a dollar.
The Three Tiers of Vietnamese Gold
Vietnam's gold market is split into three tiers. Understanding them is essential before you hand over money.
SJC 9999
National benchmark. State monopoly brand since 2012.
99.99% pure gold bars stamped with the SJC logo. This is what Vietnamese households treat as the benchmark and the store of value. Always trades well above the world price.
15–25% premium9999 Non-SJC
Same purity, lower premium.
99.99% from other licensed refiners — DOJI, PNJ, Bảo Tín Minh Châu. Priced closer to world spot because they lack the SJC monopoly premium.
5–12% premiumVàng Tây 18K
75% pure alloy. Fashion only.
18K alloyed with copper or silver, used for fashion jewellery. Priced per chi using a different rate schedule at the same shops.
Not investmentThe Vietnam Gold Premium
SJC gold routinely trades at a 15–25% premium over the world spot price — sometimes higher during currency stress. Three forces drive it.
SJC Premium vs World Spot — typical range
World spot (USD → VND at reference rate)
+100%
Base — the international quote
State monopoly premium
+12%
SJC is the only licensed bar manufacturer since 2012
Capital control demand pressure
+8%
Households hedge VND devaluation via physical gold
Limited import quotas
+5%
State Bank restricts gold imports to manage CAD
In 2024 the Vietnamese government announced plans to let four commercial banks and two SJC-affiliated companies sell gold directly — partly to narrow the premium. Watch this space.
Giá Mua vs Giá Bán — the Spread Trap
Every Vietnamese gold shop quotes two prices: giá mua (the shop buys from you) and giá bán (the shop sells to you). The difference is the spread — and in Vietnam it's wider than almost anywhere else. A tight sell price with a wide spread is worse than a slightly higher sell price with a tight spread, if you plan to hold short-term.
| Gold Type | Typical Spread | Implication |
|---|---|---|
| SJC 9999 bars | 0.5–2M VND / lượng | Tight in calm markets, widens sharply on volatility |
| Nhẫn trơn (9999 rings) | 1–3M VND / lượng | Often a better buy — closer to world price |
| Vàng tây 18K | 15–30% | Buy for wear, not returns |
Prices by City
Unlike India, city-to-city price differences in Vietnam are tiny — SJC publishes a national rate each morning. The real variation is between brands (SJC vs DOJI vs PNJ), not between cities.
Hồ Chí Minh City
Nguyễn An Ninh is the main wholesale hub. SJC headquarters and its largest showroom are here.
Hà Nội
Hàng Bạc ('Silver Street') in the Old Quarter has sold gold for centuries. Modern chains cluster on Trần Nhân Tông.
Đà Nẵng
Smaller market but all major brands have outlets. Prices mirror the national rate within a few thousand VND.
How to Buy Gold in Vietnam
-
01
Decide SJC or non-SJC before you walk in
SJC carries the highest premium but also the best liquidity. Non-SJC 9999 from DOJI or PNJ gets you closer to world price and still 99.99% pure. The right choice depends on your holding period.
-
02
Always keep the hóa đơn (invoice)
Demand an official invoice with weight, purity, shop stamp, and date. Without it, resale is harder and you may be charged as if the gold weren't authentic.
-
03
Watch the spread, not just the price
A shop with a lower sell price but wider spread is worse than one with a tighter spread at a slightly higher sell price if you plan to resell within a year.
-
04
Avoid buying during currency stress
The SJC premium widens dramatically when the VND weakens. If the spread is above 20% vs world gold, wait it out.
-
05
Consider alternatives to SJC bars
9999 rings (nhẫn trơn) have a much lower premium than SJC bars and are accepted everywhere. Many Vietnamese savers use these instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many grams is 1 chi of gold?
How many grams is 1 lượng (cây) of gold?
Why is SJC gold more expensive than the world price?
Is SJC gold real gold?
What's the difference between SJC bars and nhẫn trơn rings?
Sources
See the live gold price in Vietnam in VND, use the Gold Calculator to convert between chi, lượng, gram and ounce, or read our Gold Weight Units guide for the full picture across Asian markets.