Vietnam billionaire’s taxi firm takes on Grab in South-east Asia
Pham Nhat Vuong sees GSM, in which he holds a 95% stake, as a marketing tool to turn VinFast into a global EV brand
[JAKARTA] Vietnam’s richest man Pham Nhat Vuong is looking to disrupt ride-hailing sectors across South-east Asia as his taxi company Green & Smart Mobility, or GSM, battles Grab Holdings to be the top ride operator in his home market.
The company, though, will face challenges as it takes on entrenched rivals in a thin-margin industry and with a small presence in overseas markets, said Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Nathan Naidu.
The billionaire is leveraging his deep pockets, aggressive pricing and electric vehicles (EVs) from VinFast Auto, which he founded, according to Mordor Intelligence.
The two-and-a-half-year-old GSM, also known as Xanh SM in Vietnam, is bringing its playbook to Laos, Indonesia and the Philippines, and is expected to enter India, where VinFast just opened an EV factory. VinFast said that it will open an Indonesian auto factory this fall.
Vuong sees GSM, in which he holds a 95 per cent stake, as a marketing tool to turn VinFast into a global EV brand. The ride service accounted for about 21 per cent of the automaker’s car sales in the first quarter.
The taxi company may expand to other Asian countries as part of parent Vingroup’s “broader strategy”, and into areas such as intercity transport, premium rides, delivery and corporate services, GSM Global chief executive officer Nguyen Van Thanh said.
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In Vietnam, GSM had a 40 per cent share in the country’s ride-hailing market in the first quarter, with Grab at 32 per cent and BE Group at 6 per cent, according to Mordor. Rakuten Insight, however, said that Grab currently holds 55 per cent of the Vietnam market, with GSM at 35 per cent.
GSM plans to invest US$1 billion in the Philippines over the next three years after dispatching 2,500 vehicles to the Manila metro region, according to a June government statement. GSM declined to comment.
In Indonesia, GSM expects to have 10,000 of its cyan-coloured EV taxis, known there as Green SM, on the nation’s streets by the end of this year, taking on leaders Grab, GoTo Group and Blue Bird Tbk.
GSM can claim 6 per cent of the Indonesian car ride-hailing market in 2026 if its fleet grows to 16,000 cars, and 12 per cent if it expands to 35,000 vehicles, roughly matching its current Vietnam fleet, by 2027, Maybank Securities analysts Etta Rusdiana Putra and Hussaini Saifee said in a December report. Grab and GoTo could see sales value from on-demand services shrink 1 per cent and 3 per cent, respectively, in 2027 due to GSM competition, they said.
GSM creates “a catalyst for Blue Bird to innovate”, CEO Adrianto Djokosoetono said, adding his company will focus on mobility services, expanding partnerships and quality control.
In January, GoTo CEO Patrick Sugito Walujo said that GSM will be competitive in Indonesia. Grab did not respond to a request for comment.
GSM’s fleet size pales in comparison with vehicles used by Grab and Gojek, which have millions in service across South-east Asia, said Bloomberg Intelligence’s Naidu. He does not see Vuong’s push into Indonesia as a major competitive threat to either company.
GoTo, in a cost-cutting drive, pulled out of other countries, including Thailand and Vietnam, underscoring the challenges of entering new markets. BLOOMBERG
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