Opportunities for Vietnamese Businesses to Expand Cross-Border Trade
On September 19, 2025, in Ho Chi Minh City, UOB FinLab organized the event “Digital Gateway to Global Markets”, discussing opportunities and challenges in cross-border trade amid global uncertainties.
This event is part of UOB FinLab’s annual series aimed at connecting the Vietnamese business community with digitalization and sustainable development solutions, while also bridging them with business solution providers, advisors, and strategic resources. This year’s focus is on cross-border business expansion through e-commerce, in the context of global trade being affected by geopolitical conflicts and other disruptions.
Cross-Border Trade Opportunities for Vietnamese Businesses
At the event, experts emphasized the importance of cross-border expansion strategies. Vietnamese B2B enterprises need to be agile in adapting to trade barriers, legal changes, and in effectively leveraging financial tools to optimize import-export activities.
According to the UOB Business Outlook Study 2025, despite a volatile business environment, 60% of Vietnamese businesses remain optimistic about the coming year, 46% are accelerating plans to enter foreign markets, nearly 70% expect intra-ASEAN trade to grow, and 94% are interested in cross-border e-commerce platforms, viewing them as key tools for accessing international markets.
Experts shared insights at the event
Mr. Suan Teck Kin, CFA, Head of Research, Global Economics and Markets Research, UOB Group, noted that Vietnam is highly exposed to trade restrictions due to its open economy: exports account for 90% of GDP, the second highest in ASEAN. The U.S. is Vietnam’s largest export market, accounting for over 30% of the total export value of USD 406 billion in 2024. Key export items include electronics, phones and components, furniture, footwear, and garments, which make up nearly 80% of total exports to the U.S.
“If exports to the U.S. face difficulties, Vietnam can increase exports to other regions and diversify import sources to reduce dependency,” he emphasized.
Mr. Suan Teck Kin also highlighted three critical factors for businesses expanding internationally in the current context: developments in tax and trade policies, opportunities and challenges in foreign markets, and exchange rate fluctuations. “Regulations from major markets like the U.S. can directly impact production, pricing, and profitability. International expansion presents both opportunities and risks related to culture, legal frameworks, and business environments, so partnering with reliable local entities is essential,” he said. He also warned that in emerging markets, managing exchange rate risks is crucial to ensure stable and efficient import-export operations.
Mr. Suan Teck Kin, CFA, Head of Research, Global Economics and Markets Research, UOB Group
Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong Uyen, Marketing Director of Alibaba.com Vietnam, emphasized that e-commerce is a key tool for businesses to seize global opportunities: “Markets are volatile, and laws and technologies change quickly. Businesses must adopt e-commerce to turn challenges into advantages. Vietnam has strong competitive potential thanks to trade agreements with 16 regions and a favorable business environment. B2B e-commerce is expected to grow by 14.5% this year, opening doors to global markets.”
From a legal standpoint, Mr. Nguyen Van Du, Partner at BDO in Vietnam, advised businesses to pay attention to regulatory changes: Decree 117/2025/NĐ-CP requires e-commerce platforms to handle tax payments on behalf of sellers, submit electronic filings, and provide tax codes. Decision 1103/QĐ-BCT standardizes the issuance of Certificates of Origin (C/O) and REX codes, assigning the Ministry of Industry and Trade to oversee the process to enhance document credibility. These changes promote transparency and create a solid business environment, helping enterprises confidently expand into international markets.
Mr. Juergen Weber, Country Director of Logwin Air + Ocean Vietnam & Chairman of the Transportation & Logistic Sector Committee at EuroCham, stated that e-commerce enables businesses to diversify markets, enhance cross-border operations, and ensure timely delivery. It opens up opportunities for small businesses to reach global customers quickly and efficiently.
Experts also shared insights on optimizing cash flow, leveraging financial tools, and applying digital technologies and artificial intelligence to boost competitiveness. This enables Vietnamese businesses to turn short-term challenges into sustainable growth opportunities.
Leveraging Resources to Unlock Export Potential
As part of the UOB FinLab 2025 event, UOB Vietnam partnered with Innovative Hub — an authorized agent of Alibaba.com — to launch a special support package for exporting businesses. Participating companies receive integrated financial and e-commerce solutions worth up to USD 3,500, including free storefront design, three months of Premium account management, and featured listings on Alibaba.com.
In parallel, UOB offers a comprehensive financial solution package: transaction fee incentives, optimized deposit interest rates, short- and long-term financing, trade finance, cash flow management, exchange rate risk mitigation, and connections to reputable partners in HR, accounting, and taxation to support international expansion.
Speaking at the event, Ms. Pham Van Khanh, Country Head of Transaction Banking, UOB Vietnam, emphasized the bank’s ongoing support for cross-border trade through strategic solutions, regional connectivity, and digital transformation. With its positioning as “One Bank for ASEAN” and a strong trade network across key markets like Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam, UOB provides effective support for B2B enterprises in areas such as supply chain financing, trade finance, and international cash flow management. The Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Advisory team also assists domestic and foreign businesses in expanding across the region, diversifying markets, and leveraging Vietnam’s growing role in the global supply chain.
Through this event, it is evident that Vietnamese businesses have real opportunities to maximize export potential by combining e-commerce, legal advisory, financial solutions, and expert insights enabling effective and sustainable cross-border business expansion.
UOB FinLab was established in 2015 as a strategic community enabler of UOB, committed to supporting the transformation and capacity building of businesses, especially SMEs, in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), digitalization, and sustainable development. With a presence in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam, UOB FinLab has supported and built a network of over 33,000 businesses across the ASEAN region.
This Press Release is adapted from “Cơ hội cho doanh nghiệp Việt mở rộng hoạt động kinh doanh xuyên biên giới”, originally published by Cafe F on 24 September 2025.
Opportunities for Vietnamese Businesses to Expand Cross-Border Trade
