Vietnam just made one of the most concrete moves any Southeast Asian government has taken toward integrating digital assets into traditional finance. The country’s Ministry of Finance has proposed amendments that would allow small and medium enterprises to use digital assets, virtual assets, and intellectual property as collateral when borrowing from banks.
This isn’t a vague policy signal or a whitepaper gathering dust. The draft was released for public feedback between May 25 and May 29, 2026, with plans to submit it to the National Assembly in October 2026. If approved, the new rules would take effect on July 1, 2027.
Why SMEs need new collateral options
Small and medium enterprises make up over 98% of all registered businesses in Vietnam, yet they capture only around 19-20% of total banking credit.
Outstanding SME loans totaled nearly VND 3.8 quadrillion, approximately $144.2B, as of the end of April 2026. The Ministry of Finance clearly sees room to grow that number significantly if the collateral rules become more flexible.
