Vietnam’s 5-Year Crypto Regulation Pilot & NDAChain Rollout

Vietnam has launched a five-year crypto regulation pilot to assess and strengthen its domestic digital asset market. Under the pilot, all licensed exchanges must meet stringent reporting and anti-money laundering standards. Starting in 2026, platforms will trade directly in Vietnamese dong. This crypto regulation pilot builds on the June Digital Technology Industry Law mandating licenses for every digital asset platform. By redirecting over $100 billion in annual trading volume from offshore exchanges back to Vietnam, authorities aim to boost tax revenue and protect investors. Concurrent with the pilot, Vietnam rolled out NDAChain, a permissioned layer-1 blockchain for tokenising assets such as government bonds and carbon credits. NDAChain offers enhanced oversight and aligns with the crypto regulation pilot’s focus on regulatory transparency. The government anticipates that integrating digital assets into domestic finance channels—including insurance and pension funds—will foster sustainable market growth. Local crypto adoption is high, with around 17 million traders. Market participants should monitor regulatory updates and the phased shift to VND trading. The crypto regulation pilot could pave the way for wider digital asset adoption in Southeast Asia.