Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors may affect the serum levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) associated with triglyceride (TG) metabolism, which is a prognostic factor for cardiovascular disease, in diabetic patients. We conducted an 8-week, prospective, randomized study in which we assigned type 2 diabetic patients who were inadequately controlled with antidiabetic therapy to the vildagliptin group (50 mg bid, n = 49) or the control group (n = 49). The primary efficacy parameter was the change in the serum level of PAI-1, and the secondary end point was the change in the serum levels of TG-rich lipoproteins. In the vildagliptin group, significant decrease of the serum PAI-1 level by 16.3% (p <0.0001) and significant decreases of the serum TG, remnant-like particle cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B levels by 12.1% (p = 0.002), 13.9% (p = 0.003), and 9.5% (p <0.0001), respectively, were observed. No such changes were observed in the control group. Multivariate regression analyses identified the absolute change from the baseline (Δ) of the PAI-1, but not that of the fasting blood glucose or hemoglobin A1c, as independent predictors of the ΔTG, Δ remnant-like particle cholesterol, and Δ apolipoprotein B. In conclusion, treatment of type 2 diabetes with vildagliptin might prevent the progression of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in diabetic patients by decreasing the serum PAI-1 levels and improving TG metabolism.