Vietnam has taken a decisive step in redefining its digital finance landscape. Dunamu, the operator of South Korea’s largest crypto exchange Upbit, has partnered with MB Bank. MB Bank is one of Vietnam’s leading state-linked banks. Together, they are launching the first regulated Vietnam Crypto Exchange in the country. The partnership will also deploy AI-driven compliance and trading systems designed to allow safe and fair transactions.
The factors enabling this partnership come at a time when Vietnam is already a leader in blockchain adoption. Today 21.2% of Vietnam’s population owns a digital asset. The partnership looks to create methods to leverage cutting-edge AI surveillance technology, combined with heavy regulation, to set the gold standard for crypto trading in Southeast Asia. At a time when Myanmar is just opening its wallets to crypto innovation, Vietnam may lead the global innovation in AI-based finance.
A Strategic Partnership to Transform Vietnam’s Financial Landscape
Dunamu and MB Bank are in the process of creating a model where AI will be the main player for transaction monitoring, fraud monitoring, and investor/customer risk assessment, which aligns with Vietnam’s national strategy to incorporate artificial intelligence as part of the strategy for key sectors, where financial services are one of them. The new Vietnam Crypto Exchange will be the first in Vietnam to be subject to strict government licensing. This represents a major shift in Vietnam, towards before, when there was a completely free and unregulated trading platform.
Both partners, Dunamu and MB Bank, also aim to offer a service that is Secure, Transparent, and AIV-based based which protects the investor and follows the international compliance regimes. The government officials are excited, and they see this as a leap forward. By integrating an AI-based regulation with a banking platform, Vietnam hopes to avoid mistakes made in other markets, however, in a way that ensures a more sustainable growing digital economy.
Southeast Asia’s Growing Crypto Momentum
Vietnam’s choice to supervise digital assets prioritized by AI-level regulation is consistent with broader movements throughout Southeast Asia, with countries like Indonesia and Singapore both tightening down on regulations around crypto exchanges while working out how AI might fit into their wider regulatory compliance. Analysts believe that Vietnam’s implementation of an AI-first regulatory model will help support adjacent regional markets that similarly want to promote technology and innovation, whilst ensuring investor protection.
With ownership of digital assets climbing sharply across the region, AI may become an even more important tool for regulators to monitor market behaviours, detect suspicious trading patterns, and safeguard the integrity of the market. The Vietnam Crypto Exchange plans to implement AI-powered real-time analytics to safeguard users and protect against illicit transactions. Experts believe that this AI-first model could differentiate Vietnam from its neighbouring countries and put the country on the fast track to becoming a key regulated digital asset trading hub in Southeast Asia, next to Singapore.
AI-Driven Financial Inclusion and Economic Impact
A 2024 study from the Journal of Financial Regulation found that bank-led crypto exchanges, when integrated with AI risk management tools, can boost financial inclusion by 15–20% in emerging markets. This is a big opportunity for Vietnam, where millions are still unbanked by traditional banks.
The partnership between Dunamu and MB Bank plans to take advantage of this opportunity by implementing AI-equipped onboarding, enabling faster identity verification, and easier access for rural populations. The government’s objective on financial inclusion will benefit from both access to finance and innovation in digital payments, remittances, and blockchain credit scoring. Economic analysts maintain that blending AI functionality with banks and crypto structure will lower transaction costs, enhance cross-border payments, and create more investment opportunities for Vietnam.
A New Era for Vietnam’s Digital Economy
Industry observers see this AI-led venture as more than just a technological upgrade—it’s a foundational shift in Vietnam’s economic trajectory. With a state-linked bank as a key partner, the Vietnam Crypto Exchange gains instant credibility, while AI ensures compliance and operational security at scale.
This initiative strengthens Vietnam’s standing in Southeast Asia as a progressive, AI-forward economy ready to challenge established hubs. If successful, this could facilitate digital bank-led, AI-supported exchanges in other emerging markets. By marrying regulatory certainty, banking trust, and AI capabilities, Vietnam is not only emerging in the regulated crypto ecosystem; it is preparing for a digitally financially empowered future.
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