Vietnam Digital Assets Law Spurs Banks to Enter Crypto Market

Vietnam’s new Vietnam digital assets law will take effect on 1 January 2026, establishing a legal framework for cryptocurrencies and creating opportunities for banks to participate in the market. The law ends years of uncertainty by protecting crypto holders and will be followed by a pilot resolution on issuance and trading. Draft rules require exchanges to hold at least VND10tr (USD394m) in capital, with 35% owned by financial or technology institutions. Banks such as MB, Techcombank, and VPBank have signalled readiness, with MB already signing an MoU with Dunamu, operator of Korea’s Upbit. Vietnam ranks among the top global adopters with 17m holders and reported USD1.2bn in crypto profits in 2023.