Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Van Duoc, and representatives of ministries and agencies attended the event.
At the event, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung said the world is entering a new phase of development in which data has emerged as a key resource. AI is becoming an intelligent infrastructure, while blockchain technology is opening up new ways to establish, transfer, and verify value in the digital environment. He noted that Conviction 2026’s choice of AI and blockchain technology as its two key technological pillars aligns with global development trends and directly addresses Vietnam’s need to transform its growth model, enhance productivity, and strengthen competitiveness.
"Vietnam is part of this trend, but we are not pursuing it at all costs. We are proactively creating new development space in line with the law, technological capacity, and national interests, encouraging innovation while ensuring risks are controlled, and developing the market while protecting the legitimate rights and interests of people, businesses, and investors," Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung said.
According to Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung, Politburo Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW has identified science, technology, and innovation as the foremost drivers of development. The resolution sets a target for the digital economy to account for at least 30 percent of GDP by 2030 and 50 percent by 2045. Blockchain technology, AI, and digital assets have been identified as national strategic technologies. These areas also represent significant growth potential and a major task that requires collective efforts to turn them into new products and value for the economy. As a major economic hub, Ho Chi Minh City is expected to continue pioneering the piloting and dissemination of new models for the Government to scale up nationwide.
Conviction 2026 features a series of discussions on policies and legal frameworks governing artificial intelligence, digital assets, and blockchain technology in the Vietnamese market. Representatives of relevant agencies and the business community exchanged views on mechanisms for managing the crypto-asset market, corporate compliance requirements, intellectual property rights, and regulatory sandboxes. Many participants urged for the quick finalization of the legal rules while also pushing for innovation, transparency, and security in blockchain technology, as well as easier access to the right regulations for businesses and innovative groups.
Following discussions on policy, legal issues, and the digital asset market, Nguyen Phu Dung, CEO of PILA Group Joint Stock Company, highlighted a foundational layer of decisive importance to AI, digital assets, and the digital economy: data.
Vietnam needs to gradually shift from a mindset of managing data to one of building a data economy. This requires a structured cooperation mechanism among three key forces: businesses, which create technologies, develop products, and establish practical business models; universities, research institutes, and the research community, which develop reference architectures and technical standards; and State management agencies, which establish the legal framework, oversight mechanisms, and space for piloting new models. Only then can data become a reliable input for AI and a basis for asset valuation and investment decisions, Mr. Nguyen Phu Dung proposed.
According to Mr. Nguyen Quy Hoa, Chairman of the Electronics Information and Communication Association of Ho Chi Minh City (EIC), with its focus on connecting policy, technology, and markets, Conviction 2026 seeks to create greater space for regulators, businesses, investors, and the technology community to exchange views on practical issues arising in the development of digital technologies and digital assets in Vietnam, while promoting opportunities for cooperation and the practical application of emerging technologies. On this occasion, the Electronics Information and Communication Association of Ho Chi Minh City (EIC) and Busan Techno Park signed a memorandum of understanding and held a discussion on a digital corridor between the two cities.
Conviction 2026 serves as a forum connecting regulators, experts, businesses, investors, and the innovation community, focusing on trends, solutions, and practical applications in blockchain, digital assets, and AI. The event is jointly organized by the EIC, the Ho Chi Minh City Blockchain Association (HBA), and the Ninety Eight ecosystem and takes place on August 14-15, 2026.
