Vietnam opens its legal framework to crypto assets
Vietnam has officially become the 46th country in the world to legalize crypto assets, following the implementation of the Law on Digital Technology Industry on January 1, 2026.
Under this law, crypto assets are formally recognized as a form of digital property. It covers digital and encrypted assets that are created, issued, stored, and transferred using digital technologies such as blockchain. This provides a long-awaited legal foundation for crypto-related activities in Vietnam.
Vietnam’s move also reflects an effort to align regulation with market reality. With an estimated 17 million crypto asset holders, the country ranks among those with the highest levels of crypto adoption globally. Legal recognition of crypto assets is expected to help narrow the gap between rapid market growth and the lack of formal oversight seen in previous years.
While the law establishes legal recognition, it does not yet introduce a comprehensive regulatory regime for crypto trading, licensing, or taxation. Instead, it lays the groundwork for future regulation by providing a foundational legal framework. This approach enables the government to gradually roll out more detailed regulations in subsequent phases.
To support this phased implementation, Vietnam has already been running pilot mechanisms for a regulated crypto asset market. These pilots are designed to test governance models, risk management systems, and supervision practices before a broader market rollout.
Vietnam’s move to legalize crypto assets marks a significant transition from a regulatory “grey zone” to a more structured and transparent legal environment for digital assets. By formally recognising crypto assets while maintaining a phased and cautious regulatory approach, Vietnam aims to balance innovation, investor protection, and financial stability. This development strengthens Vietnam’s position in the regional digital economy and lays the groundwork for future growth in blockchain and digital asset industries.
Top 10 university start-ups in Vietnam secure innovation backing
10 university-based start-ups selected for innovation support:
Ten start-ups founded by students, alumni, and researchers from Vietnamese universities have been chosen to receive funding and incubation support under UniVentures, a regional innovation initiative led by BLOCK71 Vietnam in partnership with the Temasek Foundation. The results were announced at the UniVentures Gala Dinner in Ho Chi Minh City on January 29, 2026.
UniVentures aims to nurture practical, tech-driven solutions:
The programmed focuses on founders developing market-ready innovations that address urgent regional challenges, prioritizing areas such as healthcare access, environmental sustainability, workforce productivity and skills enhancement, and financial literacy.
Competitive selection process and funding:
UniVentures attracted more than 1,400 applications nationwide. After a multi-stage evaluation, 30 teams advanced to a closed pitching round, competing for the UniVentures Prize sponsored by Golden Gate Ventures, with total awards worth up to US$250,000. From these, 10 standout teams were selected to receive US$25,000 each plus entry into a three-month incubation programme at BLOCK71 Vietnam.
Intensive incubation and regional scaling support:
The incubation programmed offers intensive mentoring, tailored support, and market access opportunities. A subsequent phase will support start-ups ready to scale regionally, including potential continued incubation at BLOCK71 Singapore.
Vietnam’s UniVentures initiative reflects an emerging focus on university-born innovation as a driver of technology commercialisation and start-up growth. By combining funding, mentorship and access to regional markets, the programme supports promising founders at an early stage while creating pathways for future cross-border scaling, particularly with Singapore’s innovation ecosystem.
Science and technology sector revenue estimated at $18 billion in January
Vietnam’s science and technology sector started 2026 on a strong growth trajectory, with total revenue in January estimated at VND 464.1 trillion (nearly $18 billion). This figure reflects a 23.3% increase compared to the same period in 2025.
The contribution of science and technology to Vietnam’s GDP has also been notable, with its value-added rising by approximately 33.3% year-on-year. This growth underscores the sector’s expanding influence and relevance in driving economic performance.
The sector currently employs an estimated 2,381,940 people, including 207,838 specialized R&D professionals. This demonstrates the country’s strong human capital base dedicated to innovation and technology development, supporting both economic advancement and the implementation of new technologies.
Policy and regulatory development is also underway to match the sector’s rapid growth. According to Deputy Minister Bui Hoang Phuong, in February 2026, the Ministry of Science and Technology will finalize and submit key guiding documents to the Government. These include updates to the AI Law, amended Intellectual Property Law, and the Technology Transfer Law, along with associated decrees, decisions, and circulars, as part of a broader legislative rollout.
Vietnam’s science and technology sector started 2026 on a strong growth trajectory, with revenue expanding at more than 20 % year-on-year and a rising contribution to GDP. The large workforce and ongoing legislative efforts - particularly around AI, intellectual property, and technology transfer - indicate a systematic push to strengthen the sector’s legal and innovation framework. These developments help reinforce the sector’s role as a core engine of economic growth and technological advancement in Vietnam.
Vietnamese game startup Panthera raises $1.5 million in seed funding
Vietnamese game studio Panthera has successfully raised $1.5 million in a seed funding round led by T-Accelerate Capital, with participation from CyberAgent Capital. The investment marks a key milestone in Panthera’s journey to strengthen its development and live-operations teams, as it pushes forward multiple role-playing game (RPG) projects aimed at global soft launches.
Founded in 2023 and headquartered in Hanoi, Panthera is a mid-core studio dedicated to developing open-world RPG titles that emphasize long-term global player engagement. The studio has already made its mark by releasing three game titles that have collectively garnered over 7.5 million downloads, underscoring Vietnam’s growing competitiveness in Southeast Asia’s game development landscape.
Speaking on the company’s direction, co-founder Vuong Kien emphasized Panthera’s mission to reshape global perceptions of Vietnamese games “not by quantity, but through quality, creativity, and long-term value for players.” The newly secured capital will enable Panthera to further accelerate its development while building sustainable RPG intellectual properties (IPs).
Panthera’s seed round underscores growing investor confidence in Vietnam’s gaming industry, particularly in studios focusing on mid-core and long-term engagement titles. With support from both domestic and international investors, Panthera is positioned to expand its development capabilities, launch globally relevant RPG titles, and further contribute to elevating Vietnam’s game development ecosystem on the world stage.
Vietnam’s IFC Creates a Bigger Stage for M&A
Vietnam is taking a strategic step to elevate its mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market through the development of International Financial Centres (IFCs) in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang. These centers are designed to strengthen the country's financial ecosystem and position Vietnam as a regional hub for capital flows, investment, and large-scale M&A transactions.
The proposed IFC framework introduces greater flexibility for capital movement and deal structuring. It allows for more open capital account mechanisms, facilitating cross-border capital transfers, profit repatriation, and complex transaction structures commonly used in international M&A deals.
To address long-standing concerns of foreign investors, the IFCs also offer international-standard dispute resolution mechanisms. Investors operating within these centers may choose international arbitration, foreign governing law, or globally recognized dispute resolution practices.
In addition, the IFCs will focus on targeted incentives for financial and strategic sectors. Priority will be given to sectors such as financial services, fund management, fintech, green finance, and professional services. These sectors will benefit from competitive tax incentives and streamlined administrative procedures designed to attract global institutions and dealmakers.
The development of International Financial Centres marks a strategic step in Vietnam’s effort to upgrade its M&A and financial services landscape. By introducing a specialized legal environment that aligns with global practices, the IFCs aim to reduce regulatory friction, enhance investor confidence, and enable more sophisticated and higher-value M&A transactions. Over time, this initiative is expected to strengthen Vietnam’s integration into global capital markets and reinforce its role as an emerging financial and investment hub in Southeast Asia.
Genesia Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm operating in Japan and Southeast Asia, with a strong belief in the long-term potential of Vietnam’s digital economy. Beyond providing capital, the fund actively supports startups through strategic guidance and connections to a broader regional network.
