The development of Viet Nam's digital economy in recent years has been guided by a relatively comprehensive and coherent strategic policy framework, serving as a roadmap for transforming the country's growth model. Key documents include the Politburo's Resolution No. 52-NQ/TW dated September 27, 2019, Decision No. 411/QD-TTg dated March 31, 2022 and Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW.
The 14th National Party Congress also identified the establishment of a new growth model aimed at improving productivity, quality, efficiency, value added and national competitiveness, with science and technology, innovation and digital transformation serving as the primary drivers. The resolution calls for the creation of new productive forces and high-quality production methods, focusing on the data economy, digital economy, green economy and circular economy.
According to Professor Dr To Trung Thanh of the National Economics University, Viet Nam's digital economy expanded significantly during the 2020–2025 period, with its share of gross domestic product (GDP) increasing from 12.66% to around 14.02%. Data from the National Statistics Office show that the core digital economy contributed 8.42% of GDP, equivalent to 43.3 billion USD, accounting for more than 60% of the country's total digital economy in 2025. Digitally enabled sectors contributed 5.6% of GDP, or 28.8 billion USD, representing nearly 40% of the total digital economy.
In terms of geographical distribution, Viet Nam's digital economy remains highly concentrated. Industrial provinces such as Bac Ninh and Thai Nguyen lead the country in the proportion of the digital economy within gross regional domestic product (GRDP), largely thanks to the strong development of electronics manufacturing and high-tech industries driven by foreign direct investment (FDI).
Meanwhile, major cities including Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, although recording lower shares, contribute substantially in absolute terms and serve as centres for driving digital transformation, particularly in services, e-commerce, platform-based businesses and smart urban governance.
According to Cu Ngoc Trang, Director of the Ha Noi Department of Science and Technology, the city's report for the first six months of 2026 shows that Ha Noi has maintained its leading position nationwide in e-commerce. Digital transformation across the business sector has been promoted through online business registration, electronic invoices, electronic tax filing and payment, product traceability, cashless payments and digital business support services.
The city has maintained 100% online business registration, while 99.5% of enterprises have registered to use electronic invoices. Some 98.35% of businesses and organisations now file and pay taxes electronically, and all household businesses using the declaration-based tax method have adopted electronic invoices.
These achievements have gradually brought about significant changes to the national economy. Nevertheless, a number of experts point out that the overall picture of Viet Nam's digital economy remains uneven, with considerable disparities across sectors and localities. It has yet to generate a qualitative breakthrough in the country's growth model, particularly in terms of productivity gains and broader domestic spillover effects.
Although the core digital economy has expanded rapidly in scale, improvements in quality have been relatively slow. Growth has relied primarily on expanding production capacity rather than increasing efficiency or raising domestic value added. The information and communications technology (ICT) manufacturing industry continues to depend heavily on intermediate input costs, while the ICT services sector remains relatively modest in size.
According to Professor Thanh and his research team, studies indicate that Viet Nam's digital economy strategy through to 2030 should not be viewed simply as the digitalisation of existing activities. Rather, it should be regarded as a structural transformation in which digital technologies become a fundamental factor of production, determining productivity, the quality of economic growth and national competitiveness.
To achieve the target of increasing the digital economy's contribution to around 30% of GDP by 2030, the core digital economy must move beyond contract manufacturing towards technological self-reliance. At the same time, digital transformation must be embedded more deeply throughout industrial value chains, while digital governance should become the institutional foundation underpinning the digital economy.
These three pillars can only achieve their full potential when supported by breakthroughs in technology and development planning, including investment in digital infrastructure, data centres and the establishment of digital growth hubs in major urban centres that can spread innovation to other localities. This will enable the digital economy not only to serve as a driver of growth but also as an effective tool for narrowing regional development gaps.
Experts and researchers believe that unlocking the full potential of the digital economy in the new context will require comprehensive institutional and legal reforms. These should build on continued efforts to streamline administration, improve the effectiveness of State governance, reform administrative procedures and enhance online dispute resolution mechanisms. Greater clarity is also needed regarding targets for digital infrastructure, human resources development and the legal framework supporting innovative start-ups.
In addition, regulatory authorities should ensure the effective and coordinated implementation of the Law on Electronic Transactions, the Law on Protection of Consumer Rights and legislation governing personal data, enabling emerging issues to be addressed in a timely manner. They also recommend introducing targeted support policies for "Make in Viet Nam" products, including research and development tax incentives and preferential treatment in public procurement.
