As of May 2025, Vietnam had eight officially established and recognized centralized IT zones, including Quang Trung Software Park, Cau Giay IT Zone in Hanoi, Da Nang Software Park, Hanoi Software Technology Park, Da Nang Centralized IT Zone, Can Tho IT Zone, FPT Danang Complex, and Binh Duong Centralized IT Zone.

The most recent addition is the Binh Duong Centralized IT Zone, approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Minh Chinh on May 9, 2025, under Decision No. 890/QD-TTg. This zone spans 15.47 hectares and is located within the Binh Duong Industrial - Service - Urban Complex.

Enterprises investing in IT projects at the Binh Duong zone are eligible for incentives under Decree No. 154/2013/ND-CP and other preferential policies applicable to centralized IT zones.

According to the Ministry of Science and Technology, it is currently guiding and coordinating with six provinces to develop new digital tech hubs: Yen Binh (Thai Nguyen), Hau Giang, Binh Dinh, Ha Long (Quang Ninh), Long Thanh (Dong Nai), and Bac Ninh.

The ministry assesses that Vietnam’s digital tech ecosystem remains limited in diversity, sustainability, and technological capability. Most Vietnamese companies focus on application and development, with limited mastery of advanced technologies such as AI, cloud computing, big data, blockchain, IoT, semiconductors, 5G, 6G, and satellite communications. While the sector's total revenue is high, it is largely driven by FDI enterprises.

Vietnamese firms still struggle to integrate into the value chains of FDI corporations, primarily because they cannot meet the technical standards or lack the capacity for technology transfer, especially in high-tech stages.

Another critical issue is the shortage of highly qualified professionals. Despite a large labor pool, Vietnam lacks high-level experts and chief engineers capable of managing large-scale national tech projects, particularly in strategic and core digital technologies.

To address these challenges, the government plans to complete the legal framework, particularly with guidance documents for the Digital Technology Industry Law. Key initiatives include:

A national strategy for semiconductor industry development (already approved)
A program to develop Vietnam’s digital tech industry
A project to build large-scale strategic tech enterprises focused on infrastructure, digital skills, data, core technologies, and cybersecurity
A project to support Vietnamese digital tech companies in going global

The goal is to foster a comprehensive digital tech ecosystem in Vietnam, covering supporting industries, product manufacturing, R&D for digital platforms, and end-to-end solutions for the national digital transformation process - thereby deepening Vietnam's integration into global value chains.

PV