Cross-border e-commerce – A driver of national exports

A golden opportunity for Vietnamese goods

According to Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang, in 2024 Viet Nam’s e-commerce market reached more than 25 billion USD, up 20% on the previous year, accounting for about 10% of the country’s total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenue. This helped Viet Nam retain its position among the top three e-commerce markets in Southeast Asia.

Many Vietnamese brands and local products have secured a foothold on domestic e-commerce platforms and are now heading towards international markets through global platforms.

With the rapid development of e-commerce, cross-border e-commerce is seen not only as an important trend for business operations but also as a strategic driver of national exports. It has been incorporated into the Government-led GoGlobal Plan.

In 2024, the global cross-border e-commerce market was valued at 791.5 billion USD and is forecast to grow by more than 30% in the coming years. Vietnamese enterprises are expanding their online presence in major markets such as the US, China, the EU, Japan and the Republic of Korea (RoK), while also seeking opportunities in emerging markets such as ASEAN, the Middle East, Russia and Australia.

Deputy Minister Thang noted that under the National Master Plan for E-commerce Development 2026-2030, cross-border e-commerce will be one of the strategic pillars for the next phase, with the goal of building a sustainable digital export ecosystem, enhancing the international competitiveness of Vietnamese enterprises and bringing Vietnamese goods further onto the global trade map.

To this end, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Viet Nam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency will continue to implement a series of solutions, from refining institutions and policies, supporting training and capacity-building for enterprises, and connecting with major global e-commerce platforms, to working closely with Viet Nam’s overseas trade offices to promote exports through e-commerce models.

Experts and international associations have also offered in-depth perspectives on the role and potential of cross-border e-commerce. Nguyen Thi Hoai An, Vice President of the Global Alliance for Cross-border E-commerce (ACBC Global) and President of ACBC Viet Nam, stressed that cross-border e-commerce is not only a new infrastructure of global trade but also an “extended arm of globalisation”, where products, values and knowledge circulate without borders.

She described this as Viet Nam’s “golden moment for breakthrough”, given its strategic advantages such as favourable geographical location to become a regional logistics hub, abundant raw materials, a young workforce and rapid digital transformation capacity.

An urged Vietnamese enterprises to prepare thoroughly on several fronts. First, products must meet high quality standards, be supported by clear brand stories and operate within professional processes. Businesses should not limit themselves to processing or contract manufacturing for foreign partners but must build their own brands to assert their position.

Another important direction is selling directly to end consumers instead of relying solely on intermediaries. This model enables faster delivery to customers while building greater trust and stronger engagement between brands and buyers.

Transparency in product traceability is also essential. Enterprises should apply modern technologies to prove product origin, production processes and quality. At the same time, achieving reputable international certifications will help Vietnamese goods gain trust and win over global consumers.

From a logistics perspective, Dinh Thanh Son, Deputy General Director of ViettelPost, affirmed that logistics is the backbone of e-commerce. ViettelPost is investing heavily in infrastructure, technology and operations to shorten delivery times, optimise costs and improve service quality, enabling Vietnamese goods to reach international markets more swiftly and efficiently.

Viet Nam is increasingly asserting its position in the global supply chain. Major logistics corporations such as DHL, FedEx and UPS have been present in Viet Nam for decades, building networks that directly connect to the US, Europe and Northeast Asia. Meanwhile, domestic enterprises like ViettelPost are extending logistics services down to communes and craft villages – the very origins of export goods.

According to Son, with strategic vision and strong determination, Viet Nam can soon rise to become an important and reliable link in the global goods supply chain. Made-in-Viet Nam products will not only appear more frequently on online shopping platforms worldwide but also become symbols of quality and logistical reliability.

Comprehensive solutions to go global

At the same time, global platforms such as Amazon Global Selling and Shopee, along with domestic tech firms like Yugeeks and Torus AI, are working alongside Vietnamese businesses to provide solutions in management, marketing, logistics and artificial intelligence, thereby optimising supply chains, enhancing customer experience and expanding export scale.

Luu Hue, Senior Account Manager at Amazon Global Selling, said Amazon is implementing one-to-one support with dedicated account managers, training and workforce development for partners, and offering a suite of data and AI tools to optimise business operations.

Amazon also connects Vietnamese enterprises with international service providers to expand their reach, while offering in-depth consultancy packages for long-term partners. This support gives Vietnamese businesses a solid foundation to scale up exports, elevate their brands and reach consumers worldwide.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Phuong Chi, Project Manager for Online Export and Cross-border Export Training at Sea Group (Singapore), emphasised that ASEAN is the “strategic springboard” for Vietnamese goods to enter the global market. Through the initiative “Shopee Enables SMEs – Supporting Vietnamese Enterprises”, Shopee helps SMEs build their e-commerce and digital export capabilities, from operations and marketing training to the application of AI and data analytics.

According to Chi, this will provide a launchpad for Vietnamese goods to confidently conquer the ASEAN market before expanding further afield.

Dinh Thi Thu Hien, General Director of Yugeeks, analysed advanced e-commerce hub models from China, Singapore, Dubai and Indonesia, drawing lessons for Viet Nam that technology, policy and synchronised infrastructure are the keys to success.

Nguyen Duc Thang, Head of AI Product Engineering at Torus AI (France) and Director of Artificial Intelligence at Taureau AI Viet Nam, added that artificial intelligence is becoming the “new DNA” of commerce, ushering in the era of A-commerce – automated commerce.

He underlined that to make AI a true competitive advantage, enterprises must start by optimising operations, develop AI strategies tailored to each geographic market, and invest significantly in immersive customer experiences. Today, AI is no longer an optional extra but a mandatory expectation in global commerce.

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