Cashless Day 2025 aims to propel Vietnam's digital economy

The launch press conference was held at the Rex Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, co-organized by the State Bank of Vietnam's Payment Department, Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, Thoi Bao Ngan Hang (Banking Times), the municipal Department of Industry and Trade, and the National Payment Corporation of Vietnam (Napas), with guidance from the central bank and the municipal People’s Committee.

Key government officials, financial institutions, fintech firms, and economic experts attended the event, which highlighted the growing impact of non-cash payments on Vietnam’s economy.

According to journalist Tran Xuan Toan, deputy editor-in-chief of Tuoi Tre, this year marks a significant milestone after six years of promoting digital transactions via the annual Cashless Day event.

He noted that in 2019, three pillars were identified for promoting cashless payments, including state, technology, and communication, during the maiden Cashless Day edition initiated by Tuoi Tre.

Tuoi Tre, alongside other organizations, actively promoted the communication pillar, complementing the roles of regulatory bodies and businesses in advancing the other two.

"Cashless is no longer just a buzzword. It’s becoming second nature to Vietnamese consumers," Toan said.

He emphasized that the 2025 theme extends beyond merely supporting payments to actively propelling the country's digital economy into its next phase.

He cited the impressive growth of QR code payments, which have grown over 100 percent annually over the past three years—an indicator of Vietnam’s fast-paced transition to a cashless society.

The senior Tuoi Tre leader added the Cashless Day 2025 program centers on three major events.

The main highlight is Ting Ting Day, a cashless day festival scheduled to take place on June 14-15 at Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street in District 1, featuring experiential zones, digital payment demos, games, and a music show.

A seminar titled ‘Cashless Payments Drive the Digital Economy’ will be held on June 14, where experts will review the five-year journey of promoting cashless payments in the country and discuss future strategies.

Besides, the citywide Shopping Season 2025 promotion program will be organized in two phases: ‘Summer Shopping 2025’ from June 15 to September 15, and ‘Spring Shopping 2026’ between November 15 and December 31.

This shopping program encourages retailers to offer up to 100-percent discounts and use digital platforms to reach young consumers and those in remote areas.

Additional activities include live-stream sessions with financial influencers, a pop-up market campaign for low-income workers, and the ‘Finance Arena’ game show—an inter-school competition on financial literacy.

Organizers aim to reach at least 50 million people online, more than five million social media interactions, and 200,000 in-person attendees, boosting the cashless transaction rate in Ho Chi Minh City by at least 20 percent during June.

Since its debut in 2019, the Cashless Day has become an annual event that fosters digital habits, advances financial inclusion, and plays a pivotal role in building a modern, transparent, and sustainable digital economy.