Key Notes
Da Nang approved a 36-month pilot allowing USDT-to-VND conversions through Basal Pay under its International Financial Center sandbox authority.
Vietnam's Resolution 05/2025/NQ-CP bans fiat-backed stablecoins nationally, while Resolution 222/2025/QH15 grants Da Nang exemptions for pilot programs.
The partnership will implement Tether's Plan ₿ model, previously deployed in Lugano for municipal cryptocurrency payments and merchant integration.
Tether and the People’s Committee of Da Nang City signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Nov. 5 to advance blockchain technology and digital infrastructure in the Vietnamese municipality. The agreement focuses on policy development, educational programs, and peer-to-peer technology integration.
The partnership will support Da Nang in proposing policies for blockchain technology, digital assets, and tokenization of real-world assets, according to the recent announcement. Tether will share expertise from its Plan ₿ initiative and collaborate with Vietnamese universities to develop educational programs on blockchain and artificial intelligence. The company will also provide training for building blockchain-based payment systems across public and private sectors.
Da Nang’s Sandbox Authority
Da Nang operates under a special regulatory authority granted by Resolution 222/2025/QH15, which established an International Financial Center sandbox for piloting technologies not yet regulated nationally. The city has already issued Decision No. 1181 approving Da Nang’s municipal approval of a cryptocurrency payment pilot through Basal Pay, a 36-month program allowing conversions between cryptocurrencies and Vietnamese dong.
The MoU was signed four days after Vietnam’s Prime Minister held a conference on November 1, demanding that the IFC be operationalized with competitive mechanisms. Da Nang’s actions align with Vietnam’s five-year digital asset pilot program launched earlier in 2025.
Legal Framework Conflict
Vietnam’s national cryptocurrency framework creates regulatory complexity. Resolution 05/2025/NQ-CP, which establishes licensing requirements for cryptocurrency exchanges, defines crypto assets in a way that excludes fiat-backed stablecoins like USDT from the asset classification.
However, Resolution 222/2025/QH15 grants Da Nang authority to pilot technologies through legal exemptions from certain national compliance standards. Ho Ky Minh, Standing Vice Chairman of Da Nang People’s Committee, stated the cooperation with Tether represents a concrete step in positioning Da Nang as a gateway for investment and financial innovation in Vietnam.
Related article: Tether Projects $15 Billion Profit in 2025 as Stablecoin Market Hits $316 Billion
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said Da Nang is emerging as the future of digital governance in Southeast Asia. The partnership builds on Tether’s USDT stablecoin operations and the company’s Plan ₿ model from Lugano, Switzerland, where cryptocurrency is accepted for municipal taxes and merchant payments. Tether reported record profitability in 2025 with projections approaching $15 billion in net profits.
