Vietnam moves forward with national digital currency pilot under financial reform plan

The Vietnamese government has approved a comprehensive reform of the financial market, outlined in Decision 1443/QĐ‑TTg signed by Vice‑Prime Minister Nguyen Van Thang on 27 July 2026. The plan tasks the State Bank of Vietnam with leading research and a pilot of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) slated for 2029‑2030.

The reform also calls for a new legal framework for digital assets, classifying tokens into payment, utility and security/RWA categories, creating licensed digital‑asset exchanges, and establishing regulatory sandboxes for fintech and tokenised assets. The initiatives aim to position Vietnam among the early adopters of a national digital currency and to align its market with international standards.