Vietnam is one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing economies, with a population of around 98 million and an export manufacturing sector that has become a primary beneficiary of global supply-chain diversification away from China. Electronics — led by Samsung and a growing cluster of component suppliers — now dominate merchandise exports, while a young, urbanising population fuels consumer demand for financial products, retail, and travel. Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi anchor the business landscape, and beach destinations including Da Nang, Hoi An, and Phu Quoc are drawing increasing volumes of regional and long-haul visitors.
This week: Kredivo buys its way into Vietnam via the Timo acquisition, an IMF report confirms Thailand leads ASEAN in digital payments while scam losses mount, and Grab’s proposed voting rights restructure raises hard governance questions for the region’s largest super-app.
Three signals from one week: Vietnam becomes SEA’s first country with a binding AI law, Money20/20’s APAC report declares the region has moved from pilots to production, and the UBS OneASEAN Summit puts 4.9% GDP growth on the record.
