Biometric surge powers digital banking overhaul

Biometric surge powers digital banking overhaul

As the country identified breakthroughs in science – technology and innovation as a key driver of national progress, the mastery and adoption of biometric technologies must go hand in hand with safeguarding public trust and data security.

A bank clerk shows a customer how to use biometric security tools at a bank office in Hà Nội. Photo qdnd.vn

Việt Nam witnessed digital transformation accelerated sharply in 2025, with governmental agencies, banks, and financial institutions aggressively rolling out biometric tools, including fingerprint, facial, and voice recognition, to boost governance efficiency, stamp out fraud and money laundering, and bring greater clarity to financial transactions. Public reception has been largely positive, yet concerns remain over data security and personal privacy.

As the Communist Party of Việt Nam identified breakthroughs in science – technology and innovation as a key driver of national progress, the mastery and adoption of biometric technologies must go hand in hand with safeguarding public trust, data security, and citizens’ interests, all aligned with the people-first philosophy guiding the country's digital agenda.

In parallel, the banking industry's digital evolution has transcended basic workflow automation and IT modernisation, pivoting toward a robust ecosystem of digital data and identity infrastructure.

Dr. Nguyễn Quốc Hùng, Vice President and Secretary General of the Vietnam Banks Association, highlighted key imperatives: perfecting data infrastructure, advancing responsible personalisation, bolstering trust via transparency and privacy protection, and deepening collaboration between regulators and tech providers.

Accurate citizen identity verification, he noted, enables reliable processes in credit allocation, anti-money laundering, tax collection, and social welfare management, leaving little room for fraud, profiteering, or vested interests. Viewed through this lens, biometrics assume wider socio-political weight: purifying financial flows, elevating transaction clarity, and showcasing the governance strength of a rule-of-law socialist state.

Within the broader push for Party-driven reform in state-owned enterprises, embedding biometrics in banking marks a decisive move away from rigid, top-down command structures toward governance rooted in trust and actionable data insights. This mirrors a new leadership mindset outlined in the 13th National Party Congress’s Resolution, which calls for a fundamental renewal of leadership methodology, moving from detailed directives to guidance, supervision and performance evaluation based on service quality delivered to the public. 

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