DA NANG, Vietnam, November 7, 2025 — The two-day seminar on “Positioning and Developing Viet Nam’s International Financial Centre in Da Nang: Opportunities for Transaction and Investment Attraction” brought together policymakers, regulators, and international experts to explore strategies for transforming Da Nang into a vibrant regional financial hub.
Jointly organised by the Da Nang People’s Committee and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the event focused on three key pillars shaping the city’s development roadmap: green finance, trade finance, and fintech — digital assets.
In his keynote remarks, Vice Chairman Ho Ky Minh underscored Da Nang’s ambition to create a favourable financial environment for SMEs and innovative start-ups through digitalisation and inclusiveness. By strengthening linkages between trade finance, logistics, and offshore services, the city aims to attract global investors and accelerate cross-border financial flows.
Prof David Lee on Building Trust and Competitiveness in Digital Assets
On Day 2, Prof David Lee Kuo Chuen, Chairman of the Global Fintech Institute (GFI) and Professor at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, joined the seminar via Zoom to deliver a session titled “An Assessment of Singapore’s Experience in Digital Assets — How to Stay Competitive in Digital Assets.”
Drawing on Singapore’s regulatory evolution, Prof David emphasised the importance of a “trust-through-regulation” strategy in developing a sustainable digital asset ecosystem. He outlined how Singapore’s Payment Services Act (PSA), Stablecoin Regulatory Framework, and Financial Services and Markets Act (FSMA) have progressively established clear rules for innovation while maintaining strong consumer protection and market integrity.
“Competitiveness in digital assets is not about speed, but about clarity, trust, and collaboration,” Prof David shared. “When governments, academia, and industry align on regulatory and technological standards, innovation thrives responsibly.”
A Regional Model for Responsible Innovation
The dialogue resonated strongly with Da Nang’s vision to anchor fintech and digital assets as strategic enablers of its international financial centre. By learning from global best practices and adapting them to Vietnam’s regulatory and market context, Da Nang seeks to cultivate an ecosystem that supports both enterprise growth and financial resilience.
The Global Fintech Institute remains committed to contributing thought leadership and international expertise to initiatives that advance responsible financial innovation and inclusive fintech ecosystems across Asia.
About the Global Fintech Institute (GFI)
The Global Fintech Institute (GFI) is a non-profit organization headquartered in Singapore that fosters collaboration among regulatory bodies, corporations, and academic institutions. Through research, certifications, and policy dialogues, GFI advances standards and best practices in fintech and digital finance worldwide.
Our flagship initiatives include the Chartered Fintech Professional (CFtP) and Chartered Fintech Associate (CFtA) certifications, which equip professionals with essential skills for the evolving fintech environment.