It is no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of a digital culture worldwide. Governments have imposed lockdowns and movement controls as preventive measures against the deadly outbreak. Urged to stay home and practice social distancing – people are now working from home, buying groceries online and using digital wallets. It seems like almost everyone has become a digital native. ASEAN member states are no exception.

Vietnam may be one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, yet it’s still in the dark ages when it comes to joining the global trend toward cashless transactions. To understand why, look no further than to consumers like Tran Van Nhan, who recently bought his two-bedroom home in Hanoi with gold and a sack of cash.“We paid almost half in gold bars and the rest in cash,” Nhan, a 47-year-old shopkeeper, said of his new US$138,000 condo.