The association recently published its list of the world’s leading crude steel producers, showing Vietnam among the Top 10 global steel manufacturing powers for the first time ever.

In April 2026, Worldsteel estimated Vietnam’s crude steel output at 2.1 million tonnes, up 4% year-on-year. With this result, Vietnam surpassed Italy to secure a place among the world’s 10 largest steel-producing economies. In the first four months of 2026, the country produced a total of 8.5 million tonnes of crude steel, marking an 8.4% increase compared with the same period in 2025.

Iran, which had remained in the global Top 10 through February 2026, fell to 12th place with output of 1.8 million tonnes. The decline followed Israeli airstrikes on two major Iranian steel plants, Khuzestan and Mobarakeh, which severely disrupted the country’s steel industry. With tensions between the United States and Iran showing no signs of easing, Vietnam is expected to maintain its position among the world’s Top 10 steel-producing nations throughout 2026.

According to the Vietnam Steel Association, Vietnam’s steel industry has recorded remarkable progress in both production scale and product diversification. In 2000, domestic steel mills still relied heavily on imported billets to roll construction steel for the local market.

Since 2010, however, Vietnam’s steel sector has made major advances in self-sufficiency, producing a full range of steel products to meet demand across the economy, including mechanical engineering, shipbuilding, energy projects such as offshore wind power and drilling rigs, as well as the defense industry.

Several large-scale and modern integrated steel complexes have been developed and put into operation, notably the Hoa Phat Group’s Dung Quat integrated steel complex. The facility has pioneered the production of high-grade and technically demanding steel products, including engineering steel, tire cord steel, welding wire rod, spring steel, fastener steel, crane steel, prestressed steel, as well as rail steel for high-speed railways and structural steel.

In 2023, Vietnam ranked 12th globally in crude steel production with output of 20 million tonnes. By 2025, the country’s crude steel output had risen to 24.6 million tonnes, the highest in Southeast Asia and ranking 11th worldwide. Hoa Phat Group remained the largest contributor with 11 million tonnes, accounting for 44.7% of total production, followed by enterprises under Vietnam Steel Corporation and Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation.

In 2026, Hoa Phat Group’s crude steel output is projected to exceed 14 million tonnes, up 30% from 2025, further strengthening Vietnam’s position among the world’s leading steel-producing nations.