Vietnam Plans Regulated Digital Asset Trading by Q3 2026

Vietnam's financial authorities announced plans Tuesday to launch the country's first regulated digital asset trading by the third quarter of 2026, aiming to bring cryptocurrency activity under formal oversight and shift users away from offshore platforms.

Deputy Finance Minister Nguyen Duc Chi shared the timeline during the Digital Trust in Finance 2026 forum in Hanoi. The initiative forms part of Vietnam's broader digital finance strategy, involving collaboration among the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Public Security, and State Bank of Vietnam to approve companies for digital asset trading services.

The effort builds on a five-year cryptocurrency market pilot program that began in September 2025. Under the pilot, licensed platforms must process transactions through locally registered entities. Starting in 2026, they will also need to support trading pairs in Vietnamese dong. Regulators emphasize security, transparency, reporting requirements, and anti-money laundering measures to ensure platforms meet high financial standards and provide better oversight of domestic trading flows.

Five Vietnamese companies have advanced past the initial screening for exchange licenses,...