Vietnam’s digital economy grows, national GDP may overtake Thailand’s

Vietnam’s digital economy reached $39 billion in gross merchandise value in 2025, growing 17 percent, the second‑highest rate in Southeast Asia.

However, Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung noted that much of the 2025 digital economy still centered on digitizing existing processes rather than creating new digital‑native business models. Heavy reliance on foreign platforms and limited SME integration into digital supply chains continued to constrain domestic value creation.

Experts highlighted the need for stronger foundations. Director of the National Data Center, Maj. Gen. Nguyen Ngoc Cuong, stressed that accurate, standardized and continuously updated population data is vital for secure and scalable digital services, according to a report from Vietnam Net.

Sectors such as e‑commerce, digital finance, health and education depend on robust electronic identification systems to prevent fraud and build trust. When combined with AI and Big Data, such data can generate economic value far beyond its initial use, according to the director.

Industry leaders also called for targeted policy support. Dr Pham Tuan Anh recommended government‑led hubs for green and digital transformation, incentives for FDI tied to local tech adoption, and deeper supply chain integration to strengthen domestic firms. Le Hong Viet of FPT Smart Cloud proposed public–private partnerships to expand national computing capacity and create a shared “factory” for research and development that’s accessible to all sectors.

This comes as Vietnam may score a major coup in surpassing Thailand in economic size, as measured by nominal GDP, per a report from International Business Times. Rapid growth combined with state-led infrastructure investment could see Vietnam become ASEAN’s second largest economy, behind Indonesia.

Digital ID system for all real estate assets under new national decree

Vietnam has issued a new regulation establishing a unified digital identification framework for all real estate assets. Beginning March 1, every real estate property will be issued a digital ID code, according to Vietnam Net.

The measure is set out in Decree 357/2025/ND‑CP and creates a centrally managed national information system and database for housing and the real estate market. The government says the system will ensure consistent data standards nationwide while improving transparency and state oversight.

A core aspect of the decree is the introduction of electronic identification codes for every real estate product in Vietnam. Under Clause 5, Article 3, each property — whether an apartment, standalone house, or unit within a construction project — will receive a unique digital ID of up to 40 alphanumeric characters.

For residential properties, the ID is generated automatically using key data groups: land parcel identifier; project or construction code; location code (where applicable); a system‑generated sequence of characters.

Local Departments of Construction will assign these IDs when confirming a property’s eligibility for sale, including for off plan or future-completed housing. A similar structure applies to floor space units within buildings, with IDs created when feasibility studies for construction projects are approved. Condominium management boards, licensed real estate brokers, and beneficiaries of social housing support will also receive digital identifiers.

The Ministry of Construction will manage the national system, while provincial authorities will collect, update and maintain data within their jurisdictions. Access will be tiered, with organizations and individuals granted permissions to create, update or retrieve information based on authorization from state agencies.

The system is designed to align with Vietnam’s national data architecture, supporting API‑based interoperability, decentralized access models, and integration with other national and sectoral databases. Once information is shared across connected systems, agencies will not be required to recollect it.

All data in the platform is classified as state property and protected under national information security, state secrecy, and personal data protection rules. Only aggregate information will be publicly accessible via the system’s online portal. Users will be able to obtain real estate data through three official channels: the system’s public information portal or online system‑to‑system integration or formal written requests to relevant authorities.

Data sharing among state agencies will be free unless otherwise regulated. Organizations or individuals seeking detailed or specialized datasets must submit requests through the National Public Service Portal or other authorized channels, with fees applied according to pricing rules.

Vietnam has big digitalization and biometrics ambitions for 2026

Article Topics

digital economy  |  digital ID  |  financial services  |  identity verification  |  land registry  |  real estate  |  Vietnam  |  VNeID