Vietnam targets digital economy growth to drive productivity

Digital transformation is being positioned as a primary driver for Vietnam's new economic growth model. According to Bui Trung Nghia, Vice President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), science, technology, and innovation are essential to increasing productivity and escaping low-value growth cycles.

Data from the General Statistics Office indicates that the digital economy's value added to Vietnam's GDP is estimated to reach 14.02% in 2025, approximately $72.1 billion, representing a 1.64-fold increase since 2020. Vietnam's digital economy has maintained double-digit growth for several years, ranking second in Southeast Asia, with e-commerce accounting for roughly two-thirds of its scale.

Despite this progress, significant bottlenecks remain. Approximately 98% of Vietnamese enterprises are small and medium-sized, and many face credit constraints. These financial limitations hinder investments in essential technologies such as machinery, management software, digital data, cybersecurity, automation, and artificial intelligence.