TL;DR: Vietnam central bank digital currency CBDC work is in an active research phase, not a live pilot, with the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) confirming a standing task-force for study and advisory as of May 2025. Banks and fintechs should start preparing compliance and data infrastructure now, since eKYC and real-time settlement data needs will define whether a future pilot succeeds.
Vietnam is laying the groundwork for a central bank digital currency, and the pace of that groundwork is picking up. Following a 2021 directive from the Prime Minister instructing the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) to study a CBDC pilot, the SBV confirmed to the National Assembly in May 2025 that it has established a standing agency dedicated to CBDC research and advisory work. Vietnam central bank digital currency CBDC development remains firmly in the research phase, with telecom operators Viettel and MobiFone contributing early studies on social and technological impacts. No live pilot has launched, but the institutional machinery for one is now in place.
What is the current status of Vietnam's central bank digital currency CBDC research?
Vietnam's CBDC journey began formally in 2021, when the Prime Minister directed the SBV to research and study the feasibility of a digital currency pilot. Unlike countries that have already launched retail CBDC pilots, Vietnam has taken a deliberately staged approach, prioritizing research over rapid rollout.
The key recent development came in May 2025, when the SBV told the National Assembly that it had set up a standing task-force agency specifically to handle CBDC research and policy advisory work, a signal that this is now an institutionalized, ongoing workstream rather than an ad hoc study.
Two of Vietnam's largest telecom operators, Viettel and MobiFone, are contributing to this research phase by studying the social and technological impacts of a potential digital currency, including how it might interact with existing mobile money and payment infrastructure. This is an important distinction: Vietnam central bank digital currency CBDC work today is about building the policy framework and understanding downstream effects, not about testing a live currency with real users. Any pilot is still ahead, not behind, us.
Why does Vietnam central bank digital currency CBDC research matter for banks and fintechs right now?
Even in the research phase, a CBDC has real implications for how banks and fintechs plan their technology roadmaps. A digital currency issued and backed by the SBV would likely require real-time settlement rails, stronger identity verification at onboarding, and far more granular transaction monitoring than most institutions currently run. Waiting until a pilot is announced to start building this capability would put institutions behind.
The compliance backbone for any CBDC system rests on knowing exactly who is transacting, in real time, with a verifiable digital identity trail. This is precisely where electronic know-your-customer (eKYC) infrastructure becomes foundational rather than optional. Banks that already have strong eKYC and anti-money laundering (AML) data pipelines will be far better positioned to plug into a future CBDC settlement system. For more on Vietnam's banking sector, see our coverage of Vietnam banking credit risk signals.
What data and compliance infrastructure will a Vietnam central bank digital currency CBDC require?
A functioning CBDC system, whenever it launches, will need three layers of data infrastructure working together: identity verification at the point of onboarding, real-time transaction and settlement data, and ongoing AML monitoring that can flag suspicious patterns instantly rather than in batch cycles. Vietnam's banking sector has made significant strides in digitizing KYC over the past several years, but a CBDC would raise the bar further.
Financial institutions and fintechs that want a head start should audit their current eKYC and identity verification stack now, well before any SBV pilot announcement. The institutions that move early on real-time identity infrastructure will not be scrambling when the research phase transitions to a pilot phase. See also our analysis of Vietnam's Circular 25/2026 banking liquidity rules for how regulation is shaping this space.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Vietnam launched a central bank digital currency pilot?
No. As of mid-2026, Vietnam central bank digital currency CBDC work remains in the research phase. The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has established a standing task-force for study and advisory work, but no live pilot has launched.
When did Vietnam start studying a CBDC?
The formal directive came in 2021, when the Prime Minister instructed the SBV to research and study the feasibility of a CBDC pilot. The SBV confirmed to the National Assembly in May 2025 that a standing research task force is now in place.
What role do Viettel and MobiFone play in CBDC research?
Viettel and MobiFone, two of Vietnam's largest telecom operators, are researching the social and technological impacts of a potential digital currency as part of the early policy framework work, ahead of any pilot decision.
Why does eKYC matter for a future Vietnam CBDC?
A central bank digital currency requires strong, real-time identity verification to support compliant onboarding and transaction monitoring. Electronic know-your-customer (eKYC) infrastructure is the foundational layer that would let banks and fintechs plug into a future CBDC settlement system.
What should banks and fintechs do now, before a CBDC pilot is announced?
Institutions should audit and strengthen their eKYC, identity verification, and anti-money laundering data infrastructure now. Building this capability early avoids a scramble once the SBV moves from research to a pilot phase.
Whatever shape Vietnam's CBDC eventually takes, real-time identity verification will sit at the center of it. DataCore's eKYC Service helps banks and fintechs build the compliant, real-time identity verification infrastructure needed to stay ready as Vietnam central bank digital currency CBDC research moves toward a pilot phase.
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