Data is becoming the new “strategic resource” of modern economies, alongside land, labor, capital, and energy. In this context, a strong “data backbone” acts as a digital passport, enabling Vietnamese products to confidently enter global markets.

Digital passports for goods: A global game

At the Science - Technology - Innovation - Digital Transformation Forum held in Hung Yen Province on October 29, Nguyen Phu Dung, Deputy Director of the Institute of Data Science under the National Data Association, introduced NDATrace – the National Platform for Product Identification, Authentication, and Traceability. The presentation captured significant interest from experts and businesses.

NDATrace is a pioneering data infrastructure solution developed under Scheme 06, which promotes the application of population data, digital identification, and authentication to support national digital transformation between 2022 and 2025, with a vision toward 2030.

According to Dung, in today’s data-driven global economy, product traceability is no longer optional - it is a mandatory requirement, particularly for exports or high-standard sectors such as food, pharmaceuticals, and electronics. Numerous countries have already implemented large-scale systems to meet these demands.

The European Union is developing Trace4EU, a platform enabling 30 partners from 14 member countries to share cross-border data, aiming to implement the Digital Product Passport.

In the US, IBM Food Trust utilizes blockchain to allow corporations like Walmart, Nestlé, and Unilever to trace food shipments in seconds. China is building its BSN Blockchain to support the identification and authentication of pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, and export products.

These leading models share common characteristics: transparent data, independent authentication, and global interoperability. According to Dung, these factors help goods overcome technical barriers and build trust among international consumers.

In response to urgent challenges, the National Data Association - alongside ministries, agencies, and business communities - developed NDATrace, a national platform for product identification and traceability.

Built on GS1 international standards and national blockchain technology, NDATrace enables full lifecycle traceability for Vietnamese products - from production and distribution to consumption - using a single unique identification code.

The platform’s overarching goal is to standardize, connect, and make product data transparent for both domestic use and international export.

Notably, NDATrace is not a standalone tool but part of a national data infrastructure ecosystem. This includes NDAChain (national blockchain backbone), NDADID (national decentralized identity platform), and NDATrace (traceability application layer).

This architecture ensures that all traceability data is uniquely identified, digitally signed, and immutably stored, preserving integrity and trust across the supply chain.

“We’re entering an era where every product needs a ‘digital passport’ to verify its origin, quality, and supply chain journey,” Dung emphasized.

Fixing long-standing bottlenecks

In Vietnam, although product traceability has attracted attention from various agencies and provinces, the implementation remains fragmented and lacks a unified standard. Different entities use separate systems that are not interconnected or compatible, leading to high costs and unreliable data verification.

This results in persistent issues: counterfeit goods remain widespread; exporters face technical barriers due to insufficient traceability certification; regulators struggle to monitor product flows; and consumers lack simple tools to verify authenticity.

NDATrace was created to resolve these systemic issues.

Each product assigned a unique identifier (UID) using GS1 Digital Link standards carries comprehensive data, including manufacturing processes, transportation routes, distribution channels, and even customer feedback. This data is authenticated using digital certificates and immutably stored on blockchain, making it tamper-proof and forgery-resistant.

NDATrace isn’t just for government regulation - it’s also built for businesses and consumers.

Enterprises can easily integrate the platform with existing production or ERP systems, reducing operational costs. Regulatory agencies can conduct real-time market surveillance and detect fraud early. Consumers can scan a QR code or tap an NFC chip to instantly verify product authenticity, origin, and manufacturer.

“That’s how data technology serves citizens, protects businesses, and enables transparent governance,” Dung said.

NDATrace is built with an open architecture, follows international standards, and is globally interoperable. It is compatible with Europe’s EBSI and China’s BSN, making Vietnamese products more likely to be accepted by foreign traceability systems.

Beyond being a technical tool, NDATrace represents national data infrastructure for a transparent economy and digitized trade, working toward the vision of “every Vietnamese product having a trustworthy digital ID certified by the State.”

Dung noted that full-scale implementation of NDATrace will bring three strategic benefits: improved market oversight, reduced fraud and counterfeiting, and optimized societal costs by using a shared platform.

More importantly, NDATrace will help build a transparent and sustainable “Made in Vietnam” national brand, laying the foundation for a modern data economy in which information becomes a shared asset, boosting Vietnam’s global digital competitiveness.

Hoang Hiep