Digital payments, from being a novel option, have now become an essential need of the economy and society. According to statistics from the State Bank of Vietnam, by the end of 2025, the proportion of people aged 15 and over with bank accounts had reached 89%; the value of non-cash payments in 2025 was 28 times GDP.
In the period 2021-2025, the value of transactions through the interbank electronic payment system grew on average 27-28%/year, on average, the system processed 789,108 transactions per day with an amount of 2.3 million billion VND, reflecting the rapid increase of electronic transactions.
In particular, the QR code payment method recorded a breakthrough growth with an increase of 106% in quantity and 128% in average annual transaction value.
Information at the Smart Payment Conference to promote digital finance in the series of activities of Digital Finance Day 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City on June 6, Mr. Pham Anh Tuan - Director of the Payment Department (State Bank) - said that digital payment infrastructure in Vietnam has developed rapidly with more than 20,000 ATMs, 780,000 POSs; 83 banks providing Internet Banking, 52 banks deploying Mobile Banking and 52 payment intermediaries and 3 telecommunications enterprises providing mobile money services.
It can be said that smart payment is becoming a strategic infrastructure of Vietnam's digital economy.However, the leader of the Payment Department also pointed out that the digital economy can only develop strongly if the payment ecosystem has enough capacity to innovate but must control risks, ensure data security and responsibility to users.
Currently, people do not use digital payments if they feel unsafe, and businesses also do not invest heavily in digital channels if the digital environment lacks reliability. Therefore, payment security has become an important part of national economic security and financial safety.
Speaking to direct at the conference, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Van Thang said that besides the results that the banking industry has brought in developing non-cash payments, contributing to the growth of the digital economy and digital society, it is also necessary to frankly recognize some issues.
That is, there is still a digital gap between urban and rural areas in accessing non-cash payment services. The ability to access digital services for the elderly and low-income people is still limited. Payment infrastructure needs to continue to improve security in the context of increasingly complex high-tech crime.
According to Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Van Thang, in the face of the requirement of rapid and sustainable development in the new era, to achieve the goal of average GDP growth of over 10%/year and increase the rate of non-cash payments to 30 times GDP by 2030, the Government determines that non-cash payments are not only a convenient tool, but also an important link contributing to promoting digital finance in the economy.
Encourage credit institutions, foreign bank branches, and intermediary payment service providers to apply preferential policies, exemptions, and reductions related to the opening and use of payment accounts, bank cards, and e-wallets reasonably to promote non-cash payments in the economy, in which priority is given to people with meritorious services to the revolution.
Encourage businesses to pay wages to employees and pay for goods and services through accounts.
The Deputy Prime Minister also requested the State Bank to continue to improve appropriate institutions and policies, create favorable conditions for new payment models, and at the same time ensure system safety.
The Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and relevant ministries and sectors closely coordinate to promote electronic payments in public sectors, improve the efficiency of online public service provision. Localities actively implement specific solutions to popularize financial services, especially in rural areas, remote and isolated areas; to each business household and people's markets.
In addition, the Deputy Prime Minister also requested banks, organizations providing intermediary payment services, and technology companies to continue to promote product improvement, improve service quality and protect consumers.
