Vietnamese consumers trust digital banking but remain wary of online scams: survey

Vietnam has emerged as one of the Southeast Asian markets with the highest levels of trust in digital financial services, according to the 2026 Southeast Asia Consumer Tech Trust Score released on Tuesday by Vero and Kadence International.

The report is based on a survey of more than 3,000 consumers across six Southeast Asian countries.

Vietnam ranked first in the region for trust in online banking, scoring 84.7 out of 100, ahead of Singapore at 82.2 and Indonesia at 83.0.

Trust in digital payment services was also high, with a score of 81.6 out of 100.

The report attributed these results to Vietnam’s strengthened regulatory framework, the widespread adoption of biometric authentication, and ongoing efforts by regulators and banks to promote security standards.

However, the findings also revealed a significant gap between technology usage and consumer trust.

Although social media is used daily by 79 percent of Vietnamese respondents, it received a trust score of only 69.9 out of 100.

Despite the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace, Vietnamese consumers remained cautious about the technology, giving it a trust score of just 68.2.

Concerns over misinformation, voice and image impersonation, and privacy risks were cited as the main barriers to greater trust in AI.

Fear of online scams

The survey found that 49.5 percent of Vietnamese respondents viewed the misuse of personal data as their biggest concern, while 79 percent identified online scams and fraud as the top digital risk.

The report also highlighted differences in how Vietnamese consumers respond to major cybersecurity incidents compared with their regional peers.

While users in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore are more likely to immediately delete an app and abandon a brand following a serious data breach, 49 percent of Vietnamese respondents said they would give companies a second chance, only pausing the use of technology services or tools until the issue has been resolved.

At the same time, 25 percent of Vietnamese respondents said they would permanently stop using a social media platform following a serious security incident, the highest proportion in Southeast Asia.

The report also suggested that chief executive officers are no longer the most trusted voices during corporate crises.

Although 33 percent of Vietnamese respondents said they hold CEOs or company founders most responsible when a security incident occurs, statements issued by corporate leaders were ranked among the least trusted sources of information.

Instead, 44 percent said they place the greatest trust in assessments by independent cybersecurity experts. In Singapore, by contrast, 43 percent of respondents said they trust statements from the government the most.