Why aren’t you building your tech team in Vietnam? A market on the move
A few years ago, “a tech team in Vietnam” meant outsourcing simple tasks. That picture is out of date. The market has grown fast, global tech companies are investing, and Vietnamese engineers now build with AI every day. Here is what changed, with sources, and what it means for you.
1. The shift is already happening
Vietnam’s digital economy grew from US$34 billion in 2024 to about US$39 billion in 2025, according to the e-Conomy SEA 2025 report by Google, Temasek and Bain & Company. The 2026 edition projects US$49 billion in 2026, up 20%, making Vietnam the fastest-growing digital economy in Southeast Asia.
The wider tech industry is moving even faster. Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology estimates the digital technology industry’s revenue at about US$198 billion in 2025, up 26% on the year, with 80,052 active digital technology companies, 10% more than in 2024.
That is a deep local ecosystem of engineers, managers and companies that have shipped real products for demanding customers.
2. Global tech is betting on it
In December 2024, NVIDIA signed an agreement with the Vietnamese government to set up an AI research and development centre and an AI data centre in Vietnam. Large companies don’t put R&D next to talent they don’t trust.
The legal side is catching up too. The Law on Digital Technology Industry, fully in force from 1 January 2026, gives incentives to software, AI and chip-design projects. Vietnam’s Law on Artificial Intelligence took effect on 1 March 2026, giving companies clearer rules for building and using AI.
3. AI is part of daily work
According to e-Conomy SEA 2026, Vietnam has 45 million generative AI users, about 65% of its working population, and ranks first in Southeast Asia for daily generative AI use.
For you, that matters more than any headline. Engineers who use AI every day write, test and document faster, and they know where AI helps and where it needs a human check. When you want to add AI to your own product, you get a team that already thinks that way.
4. What you gain
- Speed. A team that builds with AI tools and ships in short, visible milestones.
- Room to grow. A large, growing pool of engineers, so you can add people to a team that already knows your system.
- Time zone. Vietnam is on UTC+7 all year: almost a shared working day with Singapore and Australia, a daily handover with Europe, and work that moves forward overnight for the US.
- Communication. Vietnam is back in the “moderate proficiency” band of the EF English Proficiency Index 2025, ranked 64th of 123. Engineers read and write technical English well; clear written specs make it even smoother.
- Better value. Your budget goes further, so you can spend it on the things that protect your product: security, testing and monitoring.
How to make it work
The country is not the risk. Hiring and managing from far away is. Teams that succeed do four things:
- Start with one well-defined project and a fixed price per milestone, before building a whole team.
- Have a senior lead you trust, who speaks your language and has run production systems, between your business and the engineers.
- Write things down: short specs, clear tickets, recorded demos.
- Own everything from day one: code, cloud accounts, domain and documentation.
How TechNova can help
TechNova is based in Vietnam and works with clients worldwide, so you get this market without the hiring and management risk.
- One senior lead who speaks your language and has run large production systems.
- Start with one project at a fixed price per milestone, with weekly demos.
- Grow the same team when the work is steady. You own the code, cloud accounts and documentation from day one.
Vietnam is Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing digital economy, global AI players are investing there, and its engineers already work with AI every day. Start small, with a senior lead you trust, and grow from there.
Sources
- Google, Temasek and Bain & Company, e-Conomy SEA 2025, via Vietnam Investment Review (26 Nov 2025): US$34 billion in 2024, about US$39 billion in 2025.
- Google, Temasek and Bain & Company, e-Conomy SEA 2026, via Vietnam Investment Review (5 Nov 2026): US$49 billion projected for 2026, 45 million GenAI users, first in Southeast Asia for daily GenAI use.
- Ministry of Science and Technology, via Việt Nam News (3 Jan 2026): digital technology industry revenue about US$198 billion in 2025, 80,052 active companies.
- Government of Vietnam, NVIDIA to establish AI R&D center in Viet Nam (5 Dec 2024).
- Baker McKenzie, Vietnam: Digital technology law; Law on Artificial Intelligence No. 134/2025/QH15, effective 1 March 2026.
- EF, English Proficiency Index 2025, as reported by VnExpress: Vietnam 64th of 123.
FAQ
Is it legal to work with developers in Vietnam without a company there?
Yes. You can work with a local company or contractor, or use an employer-of-record service. Hiring staff directly usually requires a local entity.
Can a Vietnamese team help us add AI to our product?
Yes. AI use is part of daily work for many Vietnamese engineers, and new laws give AI projects clear rules and incentives.
Do Vietnamese developers work in English?
Most read and write technical English well. Written specs and clear tickets make collaboration smooth.
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