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Banks are increasingly taking the lead in integrating customs clearance, banking, logistics and insurance into a single digital platform, aiming to reduce costs and manage risks for import and export activities amid a volatile external trade environment.
Speaking at the BIDV Leadership Summit 2026, Nguyen Anh Son, Director of the Import-Export Department at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said Vietnamese import-export firms are facing a business environment that is becoming more complex and less predictable. He noted that international trade is no longer driven solely by market logic, but is also heavily influenced by geopolitics, creating shocks that can spread across multiple markets and sectors.
According to Nguyen Anh Son, disruptions on strategic transportation routes have pushed up logistics costs and lengthened delivery times, directly affecting import-export efficiency. At the same time, rising protectionism has resulted in more anti-dumping investigations into Vietnamese goods, expanding the range of products under scrutiny.
He also pointed to new environmental, emission, and origin-tracing standards that are becoming mandatory, creating significant cost and governance challenges—particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). With global supply chains being restructured and competition intensifying across markets, Vietnamese import-export firms need to adapt quickly and strengthen capabilities to defend and expand market share.
In this context, forming integrated digital platforms that allow enterprises to carry out the full process—from finance and customs to logistics—within a single ecosystem is viewed as a way to improve connectivity, optimize operations, and reduce risk in import-export activities.
Nguyen Anh Son added that as businesses go deeper into digital systems, cyber security risks become more sophisticated and complex. He said solutions such as Open API or TradeFlat should be developed alongside the strongest cyber defenses to ensure smooth operation and protect the assets and information of citizens and enterprises.
Meanwhile, supply chain finance and international trade finance solutions are being developed to connect multiple participants, including enterprises and related services such as logistics and insurance, to support the steps in the import-export process on a unified platform. He also highlighted embedded finance via Open API, which enables direct banking services to be integrated into enterprise operating systems rather than requiring transactions through separate channels.
Pham Tien Dung, Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam, said platform developments could help simplify procedures and improve enterprises’ access to credit.
Le Ngoc Lam, CEO of BIDV, said: “Where digital transformation in banking used to focus on digitizing products, building online banking apps, and automating online transactions, banks today are moving toward Mega Platforms—multi-utility super platforms, open ecosystems connecting partners and data analytics to tailor solutions that best fit each enterprise at different times.”
Dung emphasized that in a volatile global trading environment, these tools are expected to support enterprises—especially export-import SMEs—by enhancing financial access and strengthening their operations and market reach. He also stressed the need to secure system safety and protect customer data as platforms expand.
State leadership noted that as financial activities move further into the digital realm, cyber risks become more complex and unpredictable. Therefore, tools such as Open API or trade-support platforms should be implemented alongside appropriate safeguards to protect people and business assets and information.
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