Vietnam could see the first official activity in its regulated crypto asset market as early as the third quarter of 2026, according to Deputy Minister of Finance Nguyen Duc Chi. Speaking at the Digital Trust in Finance 2026 forum, Chi said the framework is designed to ensure safety and transparency. This is the latest step in Vietnam's effort to bring one of Asia's most active crypto markets under formal regulation. In February, Vietnam drafted a 0.1% tax on crypto transactions. Five local companies, including affiliates of Techcombank, VPBank, and LPBank, are vying for the first regulated exchange license. Vietnam ranks fourth globally in crypto adoption, behind India, the US, and Pakistan, and recorded an estimated $200 billion in onchain value over the year ending June 2025.
Most traders still rely on offshore platforms like Binance, OKX, and Bybit, though a five-year pilot requiring all crypto transactions in Vietnamese dong through local firms launched in September 2025.