On June 24, 2026, the Hanoi Business Association - HBA and the Vietnam Association for the Development of Consumer Goods - VACOD in coordination with Asia Commercial Joint Stock Bank (ACB) organized the Conference "SME Dialogue 2026: Policy to pave the way - Businesses take off".
Higher adaptability requirements
In the context of a constantly fluctuating business environment under the impact of economic policies, taxes, credit and digital transformation trends, many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are facing the requirement to improve adaptability to maintain growth momentum and enhance competitiveness.
In his presentation at the conference, Mr. Phan Duc Hieu - Delegate of the 16th National Assembly, Member of the Economic and Finance Committee of the National Assembly shared that the noteworthy point is not only the number of newly issued documents or policies, but also the spirit of institutional reform to remove bottlenecks in implementation, from business conditions, investment procedures, decentralization of authority to how to handle problems related to planning and legal overlap.
Mr. Hieu emphasized that businesses need to proactively read and understand policies and make investment decisions in the context of institutional shifts, in order to limit compliance risks, better utilize opportunities and prepare a suitable foundation for the period 2025-2026.
From a legal perspective, Mr. Dau Anh Tuan, Deputy Secretary General, Head of the Legal Department of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) said that policy adjustments and the trend of digitalization in tax and customs management are creating more advantages, but at the same time also posing higher requirements for data transparency, book standardization and compliance capacity.
Understanding these changes correctly and preparing early not only helps businesses reduce risks, but also contributes to optimizing costs, improving cash flow and enhancing competitiveness.
Meanwhile, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Van Tich, Deputy Director of the Academy of Strategy for Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology - said that digital transformation is not just digitizing processes or applying technology individually, but a new development method based on data, digital platforms and ecosystem connection capabilities.
According to him, SMEs need to be seen as a nucleus of the digital economy in the locality; therefore, the integration of AI needs to be linked to the practical problems of businesses, while helping SMEs access experts, scientists, innovative resources and the market.
Capital and management tools are still a big problem
Besides the story of policies and technology, the issue of access to capital is also of concern to many businesses.
Speaking at the conference, Mr. Tu Tien Phat - General Director of ACB - said that credit granting today is no longer based solely on collateral but is increasingly focused on cash flow, contracts and capital utilization plans of enterprises.
According to him, when businesses are transparent about finances, books and cash flow, banks will have more basis to build flexible capital solutions that are more suitable for actual needs.
Clarifying this orientation further, Mr. Ngo Tan Long - Deputy General Director of ACB - said that solutions for SMEs need to originate from understanding the specific operations, business cycles and development needs of each customer group.
Accordingly, in addition to solutions that are designed flexibly based on cash flow, contracts, receivables or supply chains, businesses also need management support tools such as digital trading platforms, payment solutions, cash flow management and online services.
Through the contents exchanged at the Conference, opportunities from policies will only truly be effective when businesses are able to grasp the true spirit of reform, apply technology suitable to the operational problem and access financial resources in a more transparent and flexible way.
In the context of a constantly changing business environment, the ability to transform information into action is becoming an important factor for SMEs to adapt, expand markets and build a foundation for sustainable growth.
