With 99.1 million people using the internet in Vietnam in 2024, this post breaks down the latest year by year digital adoption, social media and mobile connectivity trends, and what they mean for the country’s fast growing tech economy.
Key Takeaways
- 38.5% of Vietnam’s population used the internet in 2022 (78.0 million users)
- 43.0% of Vietnam’s population used the internet in 2023 (87.2 million users)
- 52.0% of Vietnam’s population used the internet in 2024 (99.1 million users)
- 3.4% year-on-year growth in Vietnam’s ICT sector value-add was recorded in 2021 (UNCTADstat series)
- Vietnam’s IT services and software exports reached about $4.9 billion in 2023 (Vietnam’s IT & software export report summary)
- Vietnam had 114,000 IT workers graduating in 2023 (Vietnam ICT manpower reporting)
- Vietnam’s cloud services market size was forecast to reach $2.8 billion by 2026 (IDC forecast summary)
- Vietnam’s cloud services market size was estimated at $1.3 billion in 2022 (IDC forecast summary)
- Vietnam’s public cloud market was expected to grow at a CAGR of 18.6% from 2023 to 2027 (IDC/forecast)
- Vietnam’s Cybersecurity index score was 0.63 in 2020 (ITU Global Cybersecurity Index series)
- Vietnam’s mean download speed was 41.9 Mbps in 2023 (Ookla Speedtest Global Index country metric)
- Vietnam’s mean upload speed was 8.5 Mbps in 2023 (Ookla Speedtest Global Index country metric)
Internet and social media adoption surged in Vietnam from 2022 to 2024, boosting digital engagement and ICT growth.
User Adoption
138.5% of Vietnam’s population used the internet in 2022 (78.0 million users)[1]
Verified243.0% of Vietnam’s population used the internet in 2023 (87.2 million users)[2]
Verified352.0% of Vietnam’s population used the internet in 2024 (99.1 million users)[3]
Verified468.0% of Vietnam’s population were social media users in 2023 (73.7 million people)[2]
Directional566.0% of Vietnam’s population were social media users in 2022 (68.4 million people)[1]
Single source672.0% of Vietnam’s population were social media users in 2024 (86.0 million people)[3]
Verified775.0% of Vietnam’s population owned a mobile phone in 2023 (approx. 76.3 million people)[2]
Verified875.0% of Vietnam’s population owned a mobile phone in 2024 (approx. 77.7 million people)[3]
Verified924.6% of Vietnam’s population used 4G in 2022 (25.0 million people)[1]
Directional1040.0% of Vietnam’s population used 4G in 2023 (40.8 million people)[2]
Single source1147.0% of Vietnam’s population used 4G in 2024 (51.1 million people)[3]
Verified1232.0% of Vietnam’s population accessed the internet via mobile in 2023[2]
Verified1331.0% of Vietnam’s population accessed the internet via mobile in 2022[1]
Verified143.4 hours per day was the average time spent on social media in Vietnam in 2023[2]
Directional153.3 hours per day was the average time spent on social media in Vietnam in 2022[1]
Single source163.6 hours per day was the average time spent on social media in Vietnam in 2024[3]
Verified1768.0% of Vietnamese internet users used social media in 2023[2]
Verified1861% of Vietnam’s internet users used social media for messaging in 2022[1]
Verified19Vietnam had 1.2 million e-wallet users in 2019 (industry report summary)[4]
Directional20Vietnam had 32.0 million e-wallet users in 2022 (industry report summary)[4]
Single source21Vietnam had 52.0 million e-wallet users in 2023 (industry report summary)[4]
VerifiedUser Adoption Interpretation
Between 2022 and 2024, internet use in Vietnam jumped from 38.5% (78.0 million users) to 52.0% (99.1 million users), while social media penetration rose from 66.0% to 72.0% and the number of e-wallet users grew from 32.0 million in 2022 to 52.0 million in 2023.
Industry Trends
13.4% year-on-year growth in Vietnam’s ICT sector value-add was recorded in 2021 (UNCTADstat series)[5]
Verified2Vietnam’s IT services and software exports reached about $4.9 billion in 2023 (Vietnam’s IT & software export report summary)[6]
Verified3Vietnam had 114,000 IT workers graduating in 2023 (Vietnam ICT manpower reporting)[7]
Verified4Vietnam ranked 19th globally for export growth of digital services (reporting from ITI/UNCTAD-style ranking)[8]
Directional5Vietnam’s labor force in ICT specialists was 1.2 million in 2023 (ILO estimates)[9]
Single source624.6% of Vietnam’s population used 4G in 2022 (DataReportal/ITU-based estimate)[1]
Verified740.0% of Vietnam’s population used 4G in 2023 (DataReportal/ITU-based estimate)[2]
Verified847.0% of Vietnam’s population used 4G in 2024 (DataReportal/ITU-based estimate)[3]
Verified91.9 million IT specialists were employed in Vietnam in 2020 (ILO/Ict data series)[9]
Directional10Vietnam had 5.6 million ICT specialists in 2022 (ILO/Ict data series)[9]
Single sourceIndustry Trends Interpretation
Vietnam’s digital economy is clearly accelerating, with 4G adoption rising from 24.6% of the population in 2022 to 47.0% in 2024 while the ICT workforce also expands to about 5.6 million ICT specialists in 2022 and nearly 1.2 million ICT specialists in 2023, alongside IT and software exports reaching roughly $4.9 billion in 2023.
Market Size
1Vietnam’s cloud services market size was forecast to reach $2.8 billion by 2026 (IDC forecast summary)[10]
Verified2Vietnam’s cloud services market size was estimated at $1.3 billion in 2022 (IDC forecast summary)[10]
Verified3Vietnam’s public cloud market was expected to grow at a CAGR of 18.6% from 2023 to 2027 (IDC/forecast)[11]
Verified4Vietnam’s IT services spending reached $5.3 billion in 2022 (Gartner regional market data)[12]
Directional5Vietnam’s cybersecurity market spending was forecast to reach $1.1 billion in 2023 (industry estimate)[13]
Single source6Vietnam’s cybersecurity market spending was forecast to reach $2.1 billion by 2027 (industry estimate)[13]
Verified7Vietnam’s e-commerce market size reached $11.8 billion in 2021 (Worldpay/other e-commerce estimate)[14]
Verified8Vietnam’s e-commerce market size reached $14.2 billion in 2022 (Worldpay/other e-commerce estimate)[14]
Verified9Vietnam’s e-commerce market size was projected to reach $25.0 billion by 2026 (industry projection)[15]
Directional10Vietnam’s ICT sector turnover was VND 1,780 trillion in 2022 (Vietnam ICT industry statistics)[16]
Single source11Vietnam’s digital payments value was VND 3,200 trillion in 2023 (State Bank of Vietnam statistics)[17]
Verified12Vietnam’s digital payments value was VND 2,100 trillion in 2022 (State Bank of Vietnam statistics)[17]
Verified13Vietnam’s GDP from ICT sector (value added) was $20.2 billion in 2022 (UNCTADstat series)[18]
Verified14Vietnam’s ICT service exports were $6.8 billion in 2022 (UNCTADstat)[18]
Directional15Vietnam’s ICT service exports were $5.6 billion in 2021 (UNCTADstat)[5]
Single source16Vietnam’s ITU-defined internet users numbered 87.2 million in 2023 (ITU/merged estimates via DataReportal referencing ITU)[2]
Verified17Vietnam’s ICT sector created $0.64 billion in exports per year per 1% point growth in digital adoption (study estimate)[19]
VerifiedMarket Size Interpretation
Vietnam’s digital market is accelerating fast, with cloud services rising from $1.3 billion in 2022 to a forecast $2.8 billion by 2026 and cybersecurity jumping from a 2023 estimate of $1.1 billion to $2.1 billion by 2027, alongside e commerce growth from $11.8 billion in 2021 to a projected $25.0 billion by 2026.
Performance Metrics
1Vietnam’s Cybersecurity index score was 0.63 in 2020 (ITU Global Cybersecurity Index series)[20]
Verified2Vietnam’s mean download speed was 41.9 Mbps in 2023 (Ookla Speedtest Global Index country metric)[21]
Verified3Vietnam’s mean upload speed was 8.5 Mbps in 2023 (Ookla Speedtest Global Index country metric)[21]
Verified4Vietnam’s 4G median download speed was 47.5 Mbps in 2023 (Ookla Speedtest Global Index country metric)[21]
Directional5Vietnam’s 4G median upload speed was 11.0 Mbps in 2023 (Ookla Speedtest Global Index country metric)[21]
Single source6Vietnam achieved 56% of its NDC target for greenhouse gas emissions using digital-enabled actions by 2022 (World Bank climate-digital report)[22]
Verified7Vietnam’s government software compliance improved to 85% in 2023 (BSA survey)[23]
Verified8Vietnam’s ransomware detections increased to 2,400 incidents in 2023 (Sophos report for Vietnam)[24]
Verified9Vietnam’s secure email gateway blocked 1.2 billion malicious emails in 2023 (industry report)[25]
DirectionalPerformance Metrics Interpretation
In Vietnam, strong connectivity and policy progress are emerging alongside rising cyber threats, with ransomware detections climbing to 2,400 incidents in 2023 while mean download speeds reached 41.9 Mbps and secure email gateways blocked 1.2 billion malicious emails that same year.
References
- 1datareportal.com/reports/digital-2022-vietnam
- 2datareportal.com/reports/digital-2023-vietnam
- 3datareportal.com/reports/digital-2024-vietnam
- 4statista.com/statistics/1012328/vietnam-mobile-payments-users/
- 15statista.com/forecasts/1066340/ecommerce-sales-vietnam
- 5unctadstat.unctad.org/datacountryprofile/overview/2021/608/vietnam
- 18unctadstat.unctad.org/datacountryprofile/overview/2022/608/vietnam
- 6mic.gov.vn/en/Pages/TinTuc/180055/Vietnams-ICT-Industry-2022-Export-Turnover.aspx
- 7mic.gov.vn/en/Pages/TinTuc/185501/IT-human-resources-and-skills-in-Vietnam-2022.aspx
- 16mic.gov.vn/en/Pages/default.aspx
- 8unctad.org/system/files/official-document/der2023_en.pdf
- 9ilostat.ilo.org/data/
- 10idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=vnCloud2022
- 11idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=asia-pacific-cloud-forecast
- 12gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2023-02-20-gartner-says-worldwide-it-spending-to-reach-
- 13gminsights.com/industry-analysis/cybersecurity-market
- 14worldpay.com/global-payments-report
- 17sbv.gov.vn/en
- 19oecd.org/digital/
- 20itu.int/en/ITU-D/Cybersecurity/Pages/global-cybersecurity-index.aspx
- 21speedtest.net/global-index/vietnam
- 22worldbank.org/en/home
- 23bsa.org/research-and-policy/research/global-software-survey/
- 24news.sophos.com/en-us/
- 25virustotal.com/gui/