Decision 1236/QD-TTg 2024 National Strategy for development of blockchain technology through 2025

THE PRIME MINISTER		THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM Independence - Freedom – Happiness
No. 1236/QD-TTg		Hanoi, October 22, 2024

 

DECISION

Promulgating the National Strategy for application and development of blockchain technology through 2025, with orientations toward 2030^[1]

 

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the June 19, 2015 Law on Organization of the Government; and the November 22, 2019 Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Law on Organization of the Government and the Law on Organization of Local Administration;

Pursuant to Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW of November 17, 2022, of the 6^th plenum of the 13^th Party Central Committee, on further acceleration of national industrialization and modernization through 2030, with a vision toward 2045;

Pursuant to the Political Bureau’s Resolution No. 52-NQ/TW of September 27, 2019, on a number of guidelines and policies on proactive participation in the Fourth Industrial Revolution;

Pursuant to the Government’s Resolution No. 50/NQ-CP of April 17, 2020, promulgating the Government’s Program of Action to implement the Political Bureau’s Resolution No. 52-NQ/TW of September 27, 2019, on a number of guidelines and policies on proactive participation in the Fourth Industrial Revolution;

Pursuant to the Government’s Resolution No. 01/NQ-CP of January 6, 2023, on major tasks and solutions to implement the socio-economic development plan and state budget estimates and improve the business environment and national competitiveness in 2023;

At the proposal of the Minister of Information and Communications,

 

DECIDES:

Article 1. To promulgate the National Strategy for application and development of blockchain technology through 2025, with orientations toward 2030 (below referred to as the Strategy), with the following contents:

I. VIEWPOINTS

1. Digital infrastructure, digital technology industry: Blockchain technology is one of the leading technological trends of the Fourth Industrial Revolution; the application and development of blockchain technology importantly contribute to building advanced digital infrastructure, ensuring data reliability and security in the context of national digital transformation, contributing to establishing a foundation for the development of digital technology industry, and positively contributing to the process of national industrialization and modernization.

2. Control for development: To maintain control of risks and regularly improve blockchain technology; to guide the compliance with the regulations on blockchain in order to promote the application and development of blockchain technology in a safe and orderly manner.

3. Value enhancement technology: To take advantage of technological strengths and blockchain technology development trends, such as digital space technology and Web 3.0 technology, in order to create new experience spaces, and evoke new business models as well as new approaches to develop and promote digital culture.

4. Promotion of comprehensive digital transformation: With different core technical characteristics of decentralization and data integrity and security, blockchain technology evokes new design thinking, promotes the renovation of service provision process and models, and develops smarter, more transparent and safer services, thus contributing to a more efficient and comprehensive digital transformation.

5. Toward a digital economy and digital society: In the Fourth Industrial Revolution, ownership applies not only to physical assets but also to knowledge, wisdom, data, etc. Blockchain technology ensures asset ownership through transparency and non-repudiation; ownership will be socialized, thereby promoting multiple ownership of assets toward a transparent, safe and sustainable digital economy.

6. Development of comprehensive blockchain technology, approaching the entire population: Blockchain technology will be brought into the fullest play when deployed and disseminated to the entire population. To achieve that goal, blockchain technology needs to be popularized to approach other fields and sectors, as well as to the entire population.

II. VISION TOWARD 2030

Vietnam will be among leading countries in the region and have an international profile in research, deployment, application and exploitation of blockchain technology; become capable of mastering and applying blockchain technology in all socio-economic fields, and really become a stable and prosperous digital country.

III. OBJECTIVES

1. General objectives

To take advantage of the strengths of blockchain technology, and develop the national blockchain infrastructure; to open up a new development space for the digital technology industry, and promote innovation; to gradually improve regulations and legal frameworks, thereby creating a competitive environment, forming an ecosystem of businesses capable of reaching out to the world; to make Vietnam become the one among leading countries in the region and the world in the application and development of blockchain technology.

2. Objectives by 2025

a/ Establishing a foundation for blockchain technology development

- To form Vietnam’s blockchain infrastructure in compliance with the regulations on cyberinformation security, cyber security and personal data protection for the development, deployment, operation and maintenance of blockchain applications; to support interoperability, integration and sharing between blockchains; to facilitate the state management of blockchain application and development activities;

- To promote research, development and application of blockchain technology at 3 national innovation centers;

- To build and upgrade 10 research and training institutions in order to formulate a strategy for human resource development for blockchain technology; to include blockchain technology contents in framework training programs of universities, colleges, vocational training schools and research institutions.

b/ Promoting and intensifying the application of blockchain technology

- To select or form at least 1 center/special zone/area for blockchain testing in order to form a national blockchain network; to prioritize deployment of blockchain technology at units that have experience in deploying local blockchain networks;

- To form a “blockchain+” ecosystem through the application of blockchain technology in such fields as finance-banking, transport, health, education and training, commerce, logistics, post-delivery, industrial production, energy, tourism, agriculture, and public service provision, and other fields.

3. Objectives by 2030

a/ To consolidate and expand the national blockchain infrastructure so as to provide services both at home and abroad; to issue standards on blockchain application and development in Vietnam.

b/ To make Vietnam become the one among the leading countries in the region and the world in terms of blockchain research, application and development.

c/ To build 20 reputable blockchain brands in terms of blockchain technology-based platforms, products and services in the region.

d/ To maintain the operation of at least 3 centers/special zones for blockchain technology testing in major cities in order to form a national blockchain network.

dd/ To strive for the target that the country will have at least one institution among top 10 blockchain training and research institutions in Asia.

IV. TASKS AND SOLUTIONS

1. Developing and completing a legal framework to facilitate blockchain application and development activities

a/ To review, study and assess impacts of the current legal framework on blockchain solutions and applications.

b/ To study and formulate policies and standards on blockchain platforms, products, applications and services in order to ensure the interconnectivity and openness of parties to blockchain technology-based transactions.

c/ To provide more blockchain technology instructions and adjustments; to raise the effect of legal provisions in the management of blockchain technology in order to promote the safe and reliable development of blockchain technology.

2. Developing blockchain infrastructure and forming a blockchain industry ecosystem

a/ Developing Vietnam’s blockchain infrastructure to serve multiple goals:

- To build and develop Vietnam’s blockchain infrastructure in compliance with the regulations on cyberinformation security, cybersecurity and personal data protection in order to achieve multiple goals, thereby promoting blockchain application and development in Vietnam;

- To formulate mechanisms for management, use and development of platforms for management and operation of Vietnam’s blockchain infrastructure;

- To develop “Make in Vietnam” blockchain platforms; to formulate mechanisms for operation, exploitation, interoperability and interconnection between types of blockchain networks operating on Vietnam’s blockchain infrastructure.

b/ Forming an ecosystem for blockchain industry development:

- To develop the blockchain industry in association with the policy on development of digital technology industry and digital transformation, thus accelerating the process of national industrialization and modernization;

- To accelerate the integration of blockchain technology and advanced technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, such as artificial intelligence, big data, Internet of Things, etc.; at the same time, to promote the development and application of products and services that integrate the application of blockchain technology;

- To develop information technology parks, and create spaces for the formation of an ecosystem for development of blockchain industry and digital technology industry;

- To promote the application of blockchain technology in services provided by state agencies;

- To promote the building of incubation centers and attract investment in the development of digital technology enterprises in the field of blockchain; to implement solutions to mobilize domestic and foreign investment capital for the development of blockchain businesses and brands in Vietnam;

- To mobilize Vietnamese digital technology enterprises to build blockchain platforms in order to promote information sharing and improve internal strengths for competition with foreign enterprises.

3. Developing human resources for the field of blockchain

a/ To direct education institutions and universities in reviewing training programs in order to add contents on blockchain technology to appropriate training disciplines; to give priority to overseas training of lecturers with doctoral degree specializing in blockchain technology.

b/ To enable education and training institutions to intensify the provision of massive open online courses (MOOC) on blockchain technology.

c/ To implement training and upskilling programs for a group of talents as high-ranking leaders in innovation, especially in sectors and fields associated with the potential and strengths of blockchain technology, such as finance and financial technology startups (FinTech).

d/ To organize blockchain training, reskilling, short-term training, upskilling and coaching programs for cadres, civil servants, enterprises and people concerning blockchain platforms and blockchain platform-based services.

4. Promoting blockchain application and market development

a/ To intensify the integration and application of blockchain technology, and, at the same time, bring into play the role of blockchain in the promotion of data sharing, optimization of business processes, reduction of operating costs, and improvement of the efficiency of interconnection coordination activities, and build reliable digital technology platforms and services.

b/ To promote the application of blockchain technology in the development of smart city services, study the possibility of applying blockchain in the construction of smart infrastructure, and, at the same time, raise the level of intelligence and efficiency of urban management activities.

c/ To provide services on Vietnam’s blockchain infrastructure in order to accelerate the universalization of application of blockchain technology.

d/ To formulate a regulatory sandbox on blockchain in potential fields, such as financial technology and transport, etc., in order to create a favorable and controlled testing space, thereby promoting the creation of new business models to serve national socio-economic development.

dd/ To formulate policies to enable individuals, organizations and enterprises to develop and apply blockchain through the inclusion of products and services from blockchain application and development in the List of business sectors and lines, the List of key information technology products and services, and the List of information technology products and services prioritized for investment, hiring and procurement with state budget funds.

5. Promoting research, innovation and international cooperation in the field of blockchain

a/ To prioritize the implementation of scientific research themes and tasks of high applicability on the basis of exploiting blockchain technology in sectors and fields of socio-economic development.

b/ To organize laboratories and centers for in-depth blockchain research in order to identify orientations and solutions for blockchain technology development; to mobilize universities, research centers and research institutes to establish blockchain research groups, and enhance coordination and linkage among blockchain research groups.

c/ To organize contests to improve the national blockchain platform, find potential applications and create a motivation for research and development of blockchain application solutions and products.

d/ To support agencies, organizations and individuals in registering for patent protection in Vietnam and around the world in order to enhance Vietnam’s profile in the international market.

dd/ To include the content on application of blockchain technology in national programs and strategies for development of digital transformation, digital government, digital economy, and digital society; programs on science and technology, e-commerce development programs; and financial inclusion development strategy.

e/ To participate in organizing and implementing bilateral and multilateral scientific research cooperation programs and projects on blockchain; to efficiently exploit the Vietnam Innovation Network in connecting, attracting and efficiently using blockchain resources for the development of the digital technology industry, thereby accelerating the process of national industrialization and modernization.

g/ To coordinate with other countries in blockchain development and application; to facilitate the establishment of links between Vietnam’s blockchain network and national or global blockchain networks.

V. ORGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

1. Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies, and provincial-level People’s Committees shall:

a/ Within their competence, concretize the Strategy by including to-be-performed tasks in 5-year plans, annual plans and schemes in the sectors and fields under their charge.

b/ Formulate public investment plans and state budget estimates to ensure the realization of the objectives and performance of the tasks set forth in the Strategy under their respective management in accordance with law.

c/ Implement tasks and solutions within the fields managed by ministries, sectors and localities.

d/ People’s Committees at all levels shall propose same-level People’s Councils to allocate funds for the performance of the tasks set in the Strategy in accordance with the Law on the State Budget and the Law on Public Investment and guiding documents.

dd/ Before December 15 every year, send reports on the situation and results of implementation of the Strategy to the Ministry of Information and Communications for summarization and reporting to the Government and the Prime Minister.

2. The Ministry of Information and Communications shall:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related ministries and sectors in, studying and advising on the formulation of, and submitting to competent authorities for promulgation, legal documents on blockchain technology, and providing guidance on the implementation in each field.

b/ Manage the reporting, measurement and compilation of statistics on blockchain application and development activities, ensuring the achievement of set objectives and the implementation of tasks and solutions; guide, monitor and urge ministries, sectors, localities and enterprises to organize the implementation of the Strategy.

c/ Coordinate with ministries and sectors in building and improving a legal framework on development and application of blockchain technology; study the inclusion of blockchain technology in the List of business sectors and lines, the List of key information technology products and services; and the List of information technology products and services prioritized for investment, hiring and procurement with state budget funds.

d/ Study, propose or promulgate policies to encourage enterprises to invest in and develop blockchain infrastructure platforms, and products and services applying blockchain technology, and promote the development of the blockchain technology industry.

dd/ Assume the prime responsibility for building Vietnam’s blockchain infrastructure in compliance with regulations on cyberinformation security, cyber security and personal data protection, applying blockchain technology to national digital infrastructure facilities and national data integration platforms in order to enhance data security; promulgate policies on management, connection and use of services and promote the development and use of Vietnam’s blockchain infrastructure applications.

e/ Disseminate the Strategy’s contents in the mass media and new-generation media at home and abroad, thereby creating favorable conditions for the society to access Vietnam’s blockchain technology products and services.

g/ Coordinate with the Ministry of Science and Technology in proposing a mechanism to prioritize and support the research, development and mastering of blockchain technology; and promulgate standards and technical regulations on blockchain technology.

h/ Coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Planning and Investment in prioritizing the allocation of funds for the implementation of the Strategy in ministries, sectors and localities.

i/ Initiate and organize a national blockchain technology forum to connect domestic and international organizations, businesses and experts, and form a network of blockchain technology enterprises.

3. The Ministry of National Defense shall:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related ministries, sectors, localities, organizations and enterprises in, researching and applying blockchain technology in the field of national defense.

b/ Implement measures to prevent and combat the abuse of blockchain technology to infringe upon national sovereignty in cyberspace.

4. The Ministry of Public Security shall:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related ministries in, researching and applying blockchain technology in protecting national security and maintaining social order and safety.

b/ Forecast the situation and implement measures to prevent and combat crimes using blockchain technology to infringe upon national security and social order and safety.

c/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related ministries and sectors in, researching, testing and applying blockchain technology in a number of platforms developed by the Ministry of Public Security such as the electronic identification and authentication platform; and carrying out data management and coordination at the National Data Center.

5. The State Bank of Vietnam shall study and submit to the Government a plan of action to manage and apply the central bank digital currency (CBDC) to banking activities.

6. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall organize the efficient operation of the Vietnam Innovation Network in connecting, attracting and efficiently using blockchain resources for the development of the digital technology industry and acceleration of the process of national industrialization and modernization.

7. The Ministry of Finance shall:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Information and Communications in, allocating funds in accordance with the law on the state budget.

b/ Based on the annual state budget’s balancing capacity, allocate funds for recurrent expenditures from the central budget to ministries and central agencies for performance of the tasks set in the Strategy in accordance with the Law on the State Budget and guiding documents.

c/ Research and apply blockchain technology in management activities and financial transactions; and apply on a pilot basis blockchain technology in VAT declaration and refund for international tourists.

d/ Study and propose digital property tax policies for activities related to private transactions and centralized trading transactions in accordance with international financial reporting standards (IFRS).

dd/ Research and apply blockchain technology in the operation and development of the carbon market in Vietnam.

8. The Ministry of Science and Technology shall:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related ministries and sectors in, formulating and declaring national standards on blockchain-related products, technologies and services.

b/ Coordinate with the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Ministry of Planning and Investment in proposing regulations and priority mechanisms applicable to national innovation centers and preferential mechanisms for experts, officials and employees working at these innovation centers.

9. The Ministry of Education and Training shall:

a/ Direct education institutions and universities in reviewing training programs in order to add contents on blockchain technology in appropriate training disciplines; and prioritize the overseas training of lecturers with doctoral degree specializing in blockchain technology.

b/ Enable education and training institutions to intensify the provision of MOOC  platforms on blockchain technology.

c/ Place orders for research and application of blockchain technology in the field of education and training.

d/ Study and apply the provision and certification of diplomas with the use of blockchain technology.

10. The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs shall:

a/ Research and apply blockchain technology in the management and exchange of data on diplomas in vocational education.

b/ Exploit and apply blockchain technology to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the implementation of social security policies and programs.

11. The Ministry of Health shall research and apply blockchain technology in the management and exchange of data on electronic medical records and health care services.

12. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall research and apply blockchain technology in the management of places of production and traceability of origin of agricultural products, prioritizing key products and OCOP products in the immediate future.

13. The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall:

a/ Research and apply blockchain technology in e-commerce and trade promotion activities.

b/ Research and apply blockchain technology in commercial activities, supply chain management and logistics and seaport services.

c/ Research and apply blockchain technology in tracing the origin of products and goods of the industry and trade sector.

d/ Research and apply blockchain technology in the prevention and control of counterfeit goods and trade fraud and protection of consumers’ rights.

14. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall:

a/ Research and apply blockchain technology in decentralized models in order to develop and conserve Vietnam’s cross-border cultural values.

b/ Develop digital platforms based on blockchain technology to promote, and facilitate the sharing and recognition of, Vietnam’s cultural heritage and cultural values on a global scale.

15. The Government Cipher Committee shall:

a/ Research and apply blockchain technology in the field of cryptography and official digital signatures.

b/ Assist the Minister of National Defense in studying factors related to civil cryptography in products applying blockchain technology, and report to the Government on plans on management of products applying blockchain technology for use in state secret protection activities.

c/ Assume the prime responsibility for researching and proposing standards and technical regulations on cryptography for Vietnam’s blockchain infrastructure.

d/ Develop information security standards for the application of public blockchain, private blockchain, and blockchain application programming interface (API) in cyberspace.

16. The Vietnam Fatherland Front, socio-political organizations, socio-political-professional organizations, economic organizations, social organizations and other organizations shall:

a/ Proactively and actively participate in the implementation of the Strategy within the ambit of their functions and tasks.

b/ Develop diverse organizations providing blockchain platforms, applications and services; and support organizations, businesses and the people to access and use blockchain services in a convenient manner and at reasonable costs.

Article 2. This Decision takes effect on the date of its signing.

Article 3. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies, chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees, and heads of related agencies and organizations shall implement this Decision.-

For the Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister
HO DUC PHOC