Vietnam

Intelligence for Better Decision Making

Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai Launch Battery-Swapping Cabinet Rollout for Green Transportation

Jan. 8, 2026 | Transportation & Logistics

Electric motorbike battery-swapping cabinets will roll out across Ho Chi Minh City and the Dong Nai region under a plan to achieve net zero emissions and boost green transportation.

**As part of its net zero emissions strategy, Ho Chi Minh City approved the installation of battery-swapping cabinets on sidewalks and in public spaces.**
The Department of Construction will develop transparent, non-discriminatory criteria for selecting companies to invest in, install, manage, and operate these cabinets. Officials will publish a list of approved sidewalk locations and assign management responsibilities that cover safety, fire prevention, public order, sanitation, and aesthetics.

**To support this rollout, the City Police, Department of Industry and Trade, Ho Chi Minh City Power Corporation, and local People’s Committees will ensure reliable power supply, supervise installations, and maintain overall system safety.**
Participating companies must refrain from advertising on the equipment, restore sites to their original condition if authorities demand removal, and comply with relocation or removal orders. The city will apply existing municipal regulations when collecting fees for temporary sidewalk and roadway use.

**In line with these requirements, Great Wealth and V-Green have proposed installing approximately 20,000 battery-swapping cabinets, mounting them on streetlight poles or placing them on sidewalks.**
Each cabinet will contain between six and twelve storage trays with six- to twelve-kilowatt capacity, compatible with leading electric scooter brands such as Honda, Yadea, Yamaha, and VinFast. Both firms will self-fund all investment, operation, and maintenance, aim to complete network deployment by the first quarter of 2026, and agree to relocate or dismantle cabinets if required by authorities.

**This initiative addresses a significant infrastructure gap: the city has over 100,000 electric motorcycles but only about 300 fast-charging stations.**
Riders currently charge mainly at home or in apartment buildings, creating fire hazards and disputes over shared facilities. By centralizing charging operations in compliant locations, battery-swapping cabinets will shorten wait times, improve safety, and ease congestion in residential complexes lacking dedicated infrastructure.

**On December 25, stakeholders installed a pilot battery-swapping cabinet on the Quang Trung sidewalk in Gò Vấp ward.**
After testing, the Department of Construction will finalize deployment criteria, define operational roles, and establish safety measures covering electrical protection, fire prevention, security, environmental impact mitigation, and contingency planning. Law enforcement, trade authorities, the electricity corporation, and local governments will continue their support through the installation and operational phases. The city plans to commission additional cabinets in stages, achieving full deployment by early 2026.

Vietnam Achieves Record Growth, Investment, and Fiscal Stability in 2025 Amid Ambitious 2026 Targets

Jan. 8, 2026 | Macroeconomics & Growth

Vietnam’s 2025 economic performance metrics reflect strong revenue gains, controlled inflation, and significant public investment, with ambitious targets set for 2026.

**Vietnam collected approximately 2.65 million billion VND in total state budget revenue for 2025, surpassing estimates by nearly 35 percent and rising 30 percent from 2024.**
Domestic revenue contributed about 86 percent of that total (nearly 2.3 million billion VND), while crude oil revenue reached just over 90 percent of its projection due to declining prices. Import-export activities grew nearly 18 percent, driving a record turnover of USD 930 billion. Authorities spent 2.42 million billion VND, up 31.5 percent year-on-year, and kept the budget deficit at roughly 3.6 percent of GDP—below forecasts—with priorities on wage reform, development investment, and social welfare.

**The government allocated a record 1.15 million billion VND for development investment in 2025, completing 3,345 km of expressways and 1,701 km of coastal roads ahead of schedule.**
It also provided around 290,000 billion VND in tax relief to support businesses and the public. The Ministry of Finance credited improved interagency coordination in tax collection and efforts to widen the tax base for the surge in revenue.

**Vietnam’s import-export turnover rose to USD 930 billion—1.7 times its 2020 level—and generated a trade surplus exceeding USD 20 billion.**
GDP grew about 8 percent in 2025, lifting the five-year average to 6.3 percent, while per capita GDP surpassed USD 5,000, moving the country into the upper-middle-income category. Authorities kept inflation near 3.3 percent, under the 4 percent target. Total social investment reached 4.15 million billion VND (32.3 percent of GDP), up 44.6 percent over the previous five years, and public investment climbed nearly 55 percent to about 3.4 million billion VND. The financial market advanced steadily, with the stock exchange earning secondary emerging status, and government bond issuance reached 371,000 billion VND—74.3 percent of the annual plan—helping reduce the state budget deficit by 9,500 billion VND against its target.

**For 2026 the government targets at least 10 percent economic growth, about 4.5 percent inflation, and maintained macroeconomic stability.**
The Ministry of Finance identified challenges in raising social investment to around 40 percent of GDP to support double-digit growth and in preventing revenue losses in high-risk sectors such as land, real estate, e-commerce, and cross-border trade. It plans to innovate financial policy, strengthen interagency coordination, accelerate digital transformation of budget management, and implement measures to curb revenue leakages.

**Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính called for fiscal discipline, sustainable public finance, and focused development investment.**
He urged full disbursement of public investment capital and spotlighted major infrastructure projects: the North–South high-speed railway, lines connecting to China, a nuclear power plant, and facilities for underground, maritime, and space resource exploitation. The Ministry of Finance also intends to license enterprises for a pilot crypto-asset market by mid-January 2026 to boost business confidence and investment.

Monitored Intelligence for Vietnam - Jan. 9, 2026

News
Media
118

Government
Releases
13

City/State
Releases
0

Embassy
Releases
4

Foreign
Service
Advisories
0

Academic/
Think
Tank
2

Podcasts
0

Videos
0

Social
Media
0

Business
Releases
9

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Tăng hạn mức giao dịch Mobile Money lên 100 triệu mỗi tháng

Increase the Mobile Money Transaction Limit to 100 Million VND per Month

VN Express | Local Language | News | Jan. 9, 2026 | UndeterminedFinancial System Problems

The government has issued Decree 368 on mobile money services, allowing customers to open one mobile money account per service provider. Customers can deposit cash, receive money from various payment methods, withdraw cash, transfer funds, and pay for goods, services, public fees, and electronic tolls using the account.

The decree raises the monthly transaction limit for transfers and payments through one mobile money account to VND 100 million, which is 10 times higher than the previous limit. Additionally, customers can use an extra limit of up to VND 100 million per month specifically for paying public services, utilities, telecommunications, transportation, tuition, hospital fees, insurance, and bank debts.

Mobile Money was initiated by the Ministry of Information and Communications, now overseen by the Ministry of Science and Technology, to encourage cashless payments. Unlike e-wallets, Mobile Money accounts are linked directly to mobile subscriptions. The service was piloted from late 2021 and extended through the end of 2025 with State Bank licensing.

As of September 2025, there have been over 290 million Mobile Money transactions totaling approximately VND 8.511 billion. Nationwide, about 10.89 million Mobile Money accounts are registered, with 70% of users located in rural and remote areas.

Technology, innovation, digital transformation: Vietnam’s triple push in 2026

Vietnam Net - E | English | News | Jan. 9, 2026 | UndeterminedTech Development/Adoption

In 2026, Vietnam’s Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs is advancing into a critical acceleration phase of Project 06, transitioning from planning to tangible implementation. At the January 5 conference, Minister Dao Ngoc Dung emphasized shifting from tracking progress to achieving complete results. The ministry has seen a mindset shift with digital transformation becoming a collective responsibility, replacing outdated data systems with clean, interoperable structures and integrating services through the National Public Service Portal to reduce administrative delays.

Collaboration with the Ministry of Public Security has improved data safety and standardization, with all 21 functions for the religious data platform completed and integration with national databases like VNeID underway. However, challenges remain, especially regarding complex data on ethnic minorities and data discrepancies at local levels. Despite initial low digital maturity, cross-agency efforts and guided direction have driven notable progress.

For 2026, the Ministry’s strategy balances three pillars: science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation. Plans include developing AI tools to translate ethnic minority languages, promoting economic models for remote communities through government-academia-enterprise partnerships, and enhancing disaster-resilient innovations like drone emergency supplies. The Ministry aims to complete ethnic and religious databases, streamline 25 public services, and unify administrative systems while maintaining strict data governance standards.

Operational directives assign departments specific tasks to complete data platforms, integrate legal frameworks, and resolve funding issues. The Digital Transformation Center will coordinate efforts, ensure accountability, and lead comprehensive staff training for effective local implementation. The Ministry prioritizes measurable impact, institutional reform, and enhancing citizen benefits through technology and innovation in 2026.

Đóng đèo Prenn cửa ngõ Đà Lạt 6 ngày để khắc phục sạt lở

Closing Prenn Pass, the gateway to Da Lat, for 6 days to fix landslides

VN Express | Local Language | News | Jan. 9, 2026 | Natural Disasters

The Lam Dong Department of Construction announced the closure of nearly 5 km of National Highway 20 across Prenn Pass for six days to carry out repairs on landslides that occurred at the end of 2025. During this period, vehicles traveling to and from Da Lat will be redirected to alternate routes via Mimosa Pass or the Sacom - Tuyen Lam pass.

Prenn Pass, measuring 7.27 km, is a crucial link connecting National Highway 20 from Southeast provinces to Da Lat. On November 4, 2025, hundreds of cubic meters of earth, rocks, and pine trees slid onto the roadway from an uphill slope, blocking the pass despite clear weather conditions. This incident followed a previous landslide occurring over two weeks earlier, which caused significant damage to the road surface, retaining wall, and guardrail, including deep cracks and subsidence.

Project Management Board No. 1 has been tasked with coordinating safety measures, including deploying lookout personnel, installing barriers and signage, and organizing traffic diversions. Additionally, traffic police and local authorities in Xuan Huong Ward are increasing patrols to ensure safety throughout the construction and repair period.

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