Accept Payments in Vietnam: the operator's playbook

Vietnam is going cashless fast — cashless payments reached roughly 28× GDP in 2025, QR-code volume grew ~51%, and there were 232 million payment accounts. This playbook walks the six decisions in order — from picking methods to licensing — linking the reference, the how-to, and the fee calculator at each step.

  1. 1Read the landscape
  2. 2Pick your methods
  3. 3Choose a PSP / gateway
  4. 4Model the cost
  5. 5Settle & manage cash
  6. 6License & comply

1 Read the landscape

Cash and cash-on-delivery are giving way to QR and e-wallets. Non-cash transactions rose ~42% in 2025; QR volume alone grew ~51%. For a merchant, that means the cheapest, fastest-growing rail — bank transfer / VietQR (run by NAPAS) — is also what buyers increasingly prefer.

Reference: Payments overview · Digital payments statistics · Banking

2 Pick your methods

Offer the rails your buyers use. E-wallet usage is high and overlapping (people use several). Share of Decision Lab's online panel using each wallet, Q2 2024:

E-walletUsed byNote
MoMo62%30+ million users (October 2026); the market leader
ZaloPay43%Zalo super-app distribution
ViettelPay25%Telco-backed, strong rural reach
ShopeePay22%Marketplace-embedded
VNPay15%Bank-app QR + gateway

Compare: MoMo vs ZaloPay vs ViettelPay. Also support VietQR (bank transfer) and cards; COD is declining but still matters in rural areas.

3 Choose a PSP / gateway

A payment gateway aggregates methods so you integrate once. Common options include VNPay, OnePay, Payoo, 2C2P, and Alepay, plus direct e-wallet integrations (MoMo, ZaloPay) and, for some cross-border models, Stripe. Compare on: methods supported, fees, settlement speed, payout currency, and onboarding/KYC (foreign merchants usually need a local entity or a licensed partner).

4 Model the cost

Fees vary by method — bank transfer/VietQR is usually the cheapest, e-wallets in the middle, and international cards the most expensive (often 3%+). Your blended rate depends on your mix, and shifting buyers toward QR is the biggest lever. Run your numbers:

Compare processing costs →

5 Settle & manage cash

PSPs typically settle T+1 to T+3, so a slice of your revenue is always in transit — plan for the working capital it ties up (the calculator estimates this). For cross-border models, confirm payout currency, FX handling, and timing before you commit inventory.

Go deeper: How to accept payments (guide) · logistics & COD

6 License & comply

Payment intermediation is regulated by the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) — e-wallets and payment-service providers need a licence, and merchants handling personal data face KYC/AML duties. The fintech sandbox (Decree 94/2025) supports piloting new models. Most foreign merchants accept payments through a licensed PSP or a local entity rather than seeking their own licence.

Comply: Fintech landscape · Regulatory environment · Banking

Sources

← All jobs · PSP fee comparator · Data sources