Vietnam Market Reference / Vietnam Platforms / Updated February 2026

Vietnam Platforms

Overview

Vietnam's digital platform ecosystem has evolved from single-purpose apps to integrated super-apps that combine messaging, payments, commerce, and services. Local platforms dominate in messaging and domestic services, while international platforms compete in social media, entertainment, and cloud infrastructure.

Platform choice significantly impacts go-to-market strategy, as each platform has distinct user demographics, content formats, and monetization mechanisms.

Key Characteristics

  • Super-app model: Users expect multiple services within single applications
  • Local platforms dominate messaging (Zalo); international platforms lead social media
  • Mobile-native design essential; desktop usage minimal outside enterprise
  • Content moderation increasingly strict under cybersecurity regulations
  • Platform fees and commission rates vary significantly (0% to 30%)
  • Cross-platform integration limited; each platform operates as distinct ecosystem

Platform Categories

Messaging and Super-Apps

  • Zalo: Vietnam's dominant messaging app (75% market share), social features, mini-apps
  • Grab: Ride-hailing expanded to payments, delivery, financial services
  • MoMo: Payment app expanding to commerce, services, content
  • Facebook Messenger: Secondary messaging for international connections

Social Media

  • Facebook: Widest reach, dominant for news and community groups
  • YouTube: Primary video platform, strong creator economy
  • TikTok: Rapid growth, dominant among under-30 demographic
  • Instagram: Urban youth, lifestyle and fashion focus
  • LinkedIn: Professional networking, B2B marketing
  • Twitter/X: Niche usage, journalists and tech community

E-commerce Marketplaces

  • Shopee: Integrated shopping, live streaming, games, social features
  • Lazada: Alibaba ecosystem, LazMall brand focus
  • Tiki: Vietnamese-owned, book and general merchandise
  • Facebook Marketplace: C2C classifieds, social selling
  • TikTok Shop: Short video commerce, live selling

Cloud and Infrastructure

  • Amazon Web Services: Market leader, local region (Singapore, planning Vietnam)
  • Microsoft Azure: Enterprise stronghold, Office 365 integration
  • Google Cloud: GCP services, Firebase for mobile
  • Alibaba Cloud: Popular with Chinese-connected businesses
  • Viettel Cloud, FPT Cloud: Local providers, data residency compliance

Enterprise and Productivity

  • Microsoft 365 / Google Workspace: Standard business productivity
  • Slack, Microsoft Teams: Team collaboration, Teams dominant in enterprises
  • Zoom, Google Meet: Video conferencing
  • Notion, Trello, Asana: Project management, Notion growing among startups
  • Lark: Bytedance's enterprise suite, growing presence

Major Players

Local Platform Companies

  • VNG Corporation: Zalo, ZaloPay, game publishing (Vietnam's only unicorn)
  • Viettel Group: ViettelPay, Viettel Cloud, MyViettel super-app
  • FPT Corporation: FPT Play, Sendo, FPT Cloud, educational platforms
  • Masan Group: WinMart+, integrated retail and fintech ecosystem
  • Tiki: Local e-commerce platform, TikiNOW logistics

International Platform Companies

  • Meta: Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger
  • Google: Search, YouTube, Android, Google Ads
  • ByteDance: TikTok, CapCut, Lark
  • Sea Group: Shopee, Garena games
  • Alibaba: Lazada, Alibaba.com B2B
  • Grab Holdings: Super-app (Singapore headquarters)

Developer and Technical Platforms

  • GitHub, GitLab: Source control and CI/CD
  • Firebase, Supabase: Backend-as-a-service
  • Cloudflare: CDN and security
  • Vercel, Netlify: Frontend deployment
  • Postman, Figma: Design and API development

Why This Matters

  • Platform choice determines addressable demographic and content strategy
  • Zalo Official Accounts essential for customer service and notifications
  • Super-app integrations (mini-apps) reduce user acquisition friction
  • Platform commission structures significantly impact unit economics
  • Content localization required; English-only platforms have limited reach
  • Platform policy changes can disrupt distribution overnight

Sources

  • DataReportal Digital Vietnam reports
  • App Annie / data.ai mobile app statistics
  • We Are Social Global Digital Reports
  • Platform self-reported user numbers and transparency reports
  • Vietnam Internet Association industry data
  • Company press releases and investor filings