Fintech & Future: How Vietnam’s Banking Sector Is Driving a Nationwide Digital Revolution
Guided by General Secretary To Lam’s visionary directive, the State Bank of Vietnam and leading financial institutions are institutionalizing digital literacy to power economic resilience and financial inclusion.
In alignment with General Secretary To Lam’s overarching directive—that digital literacy must become a comprehensive, population-wide movement with long-term societal impacts—Vietnam’s banking sector has actively led the charge. Rather than viewing digital transformation as a mere technical upgrade, the banking industry has embedded digital skills and products into everyday operations. This effort ensures that as the country advances, no citizen or employee is left behind in the digital economy.
General Secretary To Lam articulated a transformative guiding principle: "The digital literacy campaign for the people must become a revolutionary movement that embraces the entire population, is comprehensive, and leaves a far-reaching impact." Embracing this vision, Vietnam's banking sector has positioned itself at the forefront of the country's national digital transformation, embedding technological fluency into daily operations and public-facing financial services so that no one is left behind.
Strategic Framework & Policy Action
Following Plan No. 01-KH/BCĐTW issued by the Central Steering Committee on March 21, 2025, the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) promulgated Decision No. 1938/QĐ-NHNN on April 28, 2026. This comprehensive action plan directs SBV units, banking academies, credit institutions, and foreign bank branches to upskill civil servants, staff, and students in key digital competencies.
To operationalize these directives, the SBV convened an industry-wide emulation conference. Five major commercial banks—Vietcombank, VietinBank, Agribank, BIDV, and MB—signed milestone cooperation agreements to implement Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW and advance digital literacy across their networks.
Institutionalizing Digital Culture and Upskilling
SBV Deputy Governor Pham Tien Dung highlighted that the campaign serves as an impetus to foster an enduring culture of innovation, digital engagement, and lifelong learning:
Specialized Core Network: The SBV established a dedicated cadre of 336 "Digital Ambassadors" and 2,296 "Digital Cores" to lead peer-to-peer knowledge sharing.
Advanced Technology Curricula: Intensive training programs focus on data governance, Artificial Intelligence (AI), RegTech, SupTech, Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), and information security.
Sector-Wide Engagement: In partnership with the Vietnam Banking Trade Union (VBTU), the industry hosted the "2026 Digital Transformation Competition," drawing 32 teams and nearly 700 participants from credit institutions and fintechs, alongside internal e-learning competitions across member units.
Grassroots Execution Across Commercial Banks
Credit institutions are tailoring digital adoption models to their operational strengths and extending digital tools directly to local communities:
Agribank: Target setting includes upskilling 100% of staff by 2026, transitioning at least 80% of work files to digital environments, and mobilizing 500 Digital Ambassadors. Agribank’s outreach focuses heavily on remote rural areas under the slogan: "Agribank is always with customers in comprehensive digital transformation."
Saigon Commercial Bank (SCB): SCB is prioritizing continuous digital upskilling, launching internal "Digital Initiative" campaigns, and upgrading its consumer ecosystem. Improvements include biometric authentication on the SCB Mobile Banking application and strategic partnerships across e-commerce, transport, and entertainment platforms. General Manager Pham Quang Tien confirmed that digital literacy remains a core long-term pillar for service quality and competitive strength.
By evolving from foundational digital literacy to advanced technological mastery, Vietnam's banking sector is establishing a solid foundation for sustainable economic growth and inclusive digital citizenship.
