Digital payments are emerging as one of the most dynamic drivers of Vietnam’s economy, with the value of cashless transactions soaring to 26 times the country’s GDP and QR payments growing by more than 81% in the first quarter of 2025.

In Vietnam, the legal framework governing artificial intelligence (AI) is being refined to keep pace with the explosive growth of this technology, particularly generative AI.

VOV.VN - Vietnam’s Index of Industrial Production (IIP) in the third quarter of 2025 is estimated to have risen by 10% year on year, marking a rare double-digit increase in recent years, according to the Statistics Office of Vietnam.

The Department of Forestry and Forest Protection under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has launched WoodID, a mobile AI application that identifies wood species, which can recognise over 260 types of wood so far.

The Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) and the Lao Ministry of Technology and Communications (MTC) convened their fourth bilateral meeting in Ho Chi Minh City on October 1.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh has underscored the Vietnamese Government’s commitment to deepening cooperation with the Society for Worldwide Interbank and Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) and other international financial institutions.

If Vietnamese businesses can master AI technology and independently research and develop “Made in Vietnam” products and solutions, they will not only compete on an equal footing but also have the potential to lead in certain fields, according to insiders.

As strategic technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, semiconductors, and next-generation networks like 5G and 6G are rapidly expanding, Vietnam has identified strong digital infrastructure as a prerequisite for mastering and effectively deploying these innovations.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has raised its annual e-commerce growth target for the business-to-consumer (B2C) model to 25.5%, up from the earlier projection of 20–22%, in light of the sector’s stronger-than-expected performance.

Rising non-tariff barriers in global trade are pushing green transition and digital transformation from optional to essential, experts warned, as Vietnam navigates an increasingly complex export landscape.