Vietnamplus

Singapore's tech unicorn Grab will remain focused on Southeast Asian markets even after it goes public in the US, co-founder and CEO Anthony Tan told Asia Nikkei Review.

The popularity of contactless payments has rocketed in Vietnam over the last few years, with banks launching more options for customers to enjoy going cashless.

Non-cash payments continue to boom in Vietnam this year as the country has seen a surge in banking transactions and mobile payments in the first four months of the year, according to an official from the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV).

Vietnam's banks and financial institutions must be ready for a digital transformation, said policymakers and experts at a workshop held in Hanoi on October 25.

Vietnam's interbank e-payment system handled 37 million transactions worth nearly 21 quadrillion VND (898.4 billion USD) in the first quarter of the year, up 23 percent and 17.8 percent respectively compared to 2018, according to the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV).

The growth of the number of people making mobile payments in stores in Vietnam is at the fastest, according to the Global Consumer Insights Survey 2019 by PwC.

Thailand has emerged as the second-fastest growth for mobile payments in Southeast Asia behind Vietnam, which is the global leader, according to the Global Consumer Insights Survey 2019.