Da Nang’s public service hotline 1022 now includes an AI-powered chatbot, available round the clock across Facebook Messenger, Zalo, and the hotline website. Photo: VNA

 New engine of economic growth

In 2025, the digital economy continued to affirm its role as a key driver of Vietnam’s growth, closely aligned with the national digital transformation agenda. According to the National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Finance, the digital economy accounted for an estimated 14.02% of GDP, equivalent to 72.1 billion USD, up 1.64 times from 2020. Meanwhile, the e-Conomy SEA 2025 report by Google, Temasek and Bain & Company estimated Vietnam’s digital economy reached 39 billion USD in gross merchandise value by the end of 2025, growing 17% year on year, the second-fastest rate in Southeast Asia.

The application of digital technologies, big data, artificial intelligence, e-commerce and digital platforms is creating new opportunities for businesses and citizens across production, business activities and social governance. Sectors such as e-commerce, digital finance, smart logistics and digital platform-based services are generating significant added value, while online public services, cashless payments, digital education and digital healthcare are increasingly improving quality of life and the transparency and efficiency of state management.

 

The IOC is central to delivering data-driven governance. Photo: VNA

At the local level, the digital economy has emerged as a key differentiator in regional growth. In 2025, Bac Ninh, Thai Nguyen, Phu Tho and Hai Phong recorded digital economy shares of over 20% in their gross regional domestic product (GRDP), while Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City reached 17.34% and 13.43%, respectively. These gaps reflect differences in industrial development, digital infrastructure, investment attraction and levels of digital adoption in socio-economic activities, underscoring the need for developing locally tailored digital economy strategies.

According to NSO Director General Nguyen Thi Huong, the results show that Vietnam’s digital economy is not only expanding rapidly but also making more substantive contributions to economic growth, labour productivity and national competitiveness, reflecting strong commitment and determination across the Government, ministries, localities, businesses and the people in advancing digital transformation in line with the Politburo's Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW.

From digitalisation to digital value creation

Despite notable progress, Vietnam’s digital economy still faces challenges, as development remains largely focused on shifting traditional activities online, while innovation based on core technologies is limited. Domestic value added remains modest, dependence on cross-border platforms is high, and cybersecurity and personal data protection have become increasingly pressing concerns.

On December 25, 2025, in Hanoi, Duc Giang General Hospital, in collaboration with Vietnam Post, officially launched a pilot program using drones (UAVs) to transport medical samples, medicines, and medical supplies. Photo: VNA

Digitalisation remains uneven across sectors, with some areas such as veterinary services, social assistance and institutional care showing very low adoption rates. These sectors contribute only about 0.01% of total digital economy value added, highlighting significant untapped potential and the need for targeted, sector-specific policies.

Based on practical experience in the tourism sector, Pham Minh Quang, General Director of Dolphin Commercial and Investment Company Limited (Dolphintour) said with more than 80% of customers searching, comparing and booking services online, enterprises are under pressure to adapt. However, many firms, especially small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), continue to face constraints related to limited digital human resources and high upfront investment costs, he noted.

According to experts, to raise the digital economy’s contribution to around 30% of GDP by 2030, experts stressed the need to have breakthrough measures, particularly shifting from rapid expansion to improving quality and depth. Priorities include further improving institutions, policies and the legal framework to encourage innovation and the development of digital business models based on core technologies, data and platforms gradually mastered by domestic enterprises, alongside appropriate regulation of cross-border platforms to ensure fair competition and national digital sovereignty.

They observed that targeted support programmes for SME digital transformation should also be strengthened, while building sector-based digital ecosystems that link technology firms with production and service enterprises is seen as a key solution to spreading digital value.

At the same time, digital workforce policies must be overhauled to better match market needs, while continued investment in digital infrastructure, cybersecurity and data protection remains essential to building digital trust and ensuring sustainable digital economy growth./.