Vietnam’s digital economy records fastest growth in Southeast Asia to hit US$49bln in 2026
DNO - Vietnam’s digital economy is projected to reach US$49 billion in gross merchandise value (GMV) in 2026, tying with Malaysia for the fastest growth in Southeast Asia.
Vietnam and Malaysia are expected to record the region’s highest digital economy growth rates this year, according to the e-Conomy SEA 2026 report jointly released by Google, Temasek and Bain & Company.
Vietnam’s digital economy is forecast to maintain double-digit growth across four major sectors: e-commerce, online travel, digital lending and digital payments, with total GMV reaching US$49 billion, representing 20% year-on-year increase.
The double-digit growth is supported by platforms that continue to scale up operations and effectively monetize changing consumer habits.
In particular, e-commerce remains the primary growth driver, accounting for two-thirds of the country’s total digital economy. The sector is projected to grow 22% year-on-year to US$32 billion in 2026 and reach US$61 billion by 2030.
Online travel is projected to rise 15% year-on-year to US$5 billion, matching Malaysia as one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing markets.
Online media and ride-hailing and food delivery services are forecast to record 17% growth each, reaching GMV of US$7 billion and US$6 billion respectively.
Digital financial services are also expanding, with digital lending and payments recording growth.
Outstanding digital loans are expected to increase by 34% to US$14 billion, the fastest growth rate among segments of Vietnam's digital economy and across the region.
The value of digital payment transactions is predicted to generate US$197 billion in 2026, up 21% year-on-year, and USD$302 billion by 2030.
The report also identifies Vietnam as the Southeast Asian market with the highest level of AI engagement, with 45 million GenAI users, equivalent to 65% of its workforce, generating a combined 31 billion AI queries annually.
Two out of every five GenAI users in Vietnam interact with the technology daily.
Currently, AI is the starting point for 44% of consumer journeys in Vietnam, while four out of five users are willing to delegate shopping tasks to AI agents.