The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) reported that in 2025, the science and technology sector achieved a total revenue of about $216 billion, contributing $57 billion directly to the national GDP. This sector has become one of the key engines of Vietnam’s economic growth.

On December 26, the Ministry held its 2026 planning conference, marking a historic milestone in its organizational structure. Since March 2025, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Information and Communications officially merged to form a new, unified Ministry of Science and Technology-integrating all pillars of science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation.

Deputy Minister Bui Hoang Phuong noted that within just ten months since the merger, the Ministry had submitted to the Government and the National Assembly 10 new laws and one resolution for approval.

Institutional reform: “the breakthrough of breakthroughs”

According to Deputy Minister Bui Hoang Phuong, 2025 witnessed a fundamental shift in the ministry’s approach to policymaking and institutional development.

Following the implementation of Resolution 57, the ministry’s work on legal and institutional frameworks evolved from a management mindset to a constructive and enabling one. The institutional system became “the breakthrough of breakthroughs,” serving as the cornerstone for science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation to become genuine drivers of national growth.

In ten months after the merger, the Ministry submitted to the Government 23 decrees, 16 resolutions, 41 decisions, and one Prime Minister directive, while issuing 50 circulars to guide implementation. These legal documents helped resolve long-standing policy bottlenecks, establishing a comprehensive legal corridor covering key strategic pillars: science and technology, innovation, postal services, telecommunications, digital industries, artificial intelligence, high technology, nuclear energy, standards and quality, technology transfer, and intellectual property.

2025 highlights: The rise of 5G and digital infrastructure

Deputy Minister Bui Hoang Phuong stated that in 2025, the science and technology sector achieved $216 billion in revenue, up 25% year-on-year, fulfilling 122% of the annual plan. It contributed $4.55 billion to the state budget (up 11%) and $57 billion directly to GDP (up 35%), exceeding targets across all metrics.

For the first time, Vietnam released a National List of Strategic Technologies and Products, shifting from research-led to problem-led innovation-identifying real-world challenges, designing solutions, and discovering new technologies from them.

The Ministry also launched the National Innovation Portal and a real-time online management system for science and technology projects, while the National Science and Technology Exchange was introduced as a “connecting bridge” linking research, production, and the market nationwide.

In 2025, Vietnam ranked 44th out of 139 countries in the Global Innovation Index and 55th out of 100 globally in the Startup Ecosystem Index.

Vietnam’s digital transformation achieved remarkable progress as digital infrastructure, national databases, and shared platforms were established synchronously. These developments laid a firm foundation for the “digital nation” model and contributed decisively to the implementation of the two-tier local government model.

The postal sector maintained high growth despite economic headwinds, with 4.2 billion parcels delivered (up 26.6% from 2024) and $3.45 billion in revenue (up 19.1%).

In telecommunications, 5G coverage reached over 90% of the population, and fixed internet speeds averaged 271.95 Mbps, placing Vietnam in the global top 10. The country remained second in ASEAN with more than 680,000 domain names, while 26.45 million digital signature certificates were issued-12.56 million of them in 2025 alone, matching the total issued over the previous decade combined.

In the digital technology industry, over 80,000 enterprises are now active, with 2,100 expanding internationally. Many firms have begun designing and manufacturing strategic tech products domestically, strengthening Vietnam’s position as a key hub for digital industries and innovation-driven growth.

Focus for 2026: Attracting talent and implementing major policies

Looking ahead to 2026, Deputy Minister Bui Hoang Phuong emphasized that the science and technology sector will focus on foundational and strategic missions with broad, long-term impact to promote rapid and sustainable growth.

MOST will serve as the standing body of the Government Steering Committee for the implementation of Resolution 57 and will continue refining institutional frameworks. It will ensure the effective rollout of the 10 new laws passed in 2025, with all implementing documents issued by the first quarter of 2026, allowing the new policies to take effect swiftly.

The ministry will accelerate the completion of national digital platforms and shared databases to ensure interconnectivity and efficient management for socio-economic development. The goal is for 100% of administrative procedures to be conducted online.

“The Ministry will implement incentive policies to attract and retain high-quality human resources,” Deputy Minister Phuong said. “We will assign major national science and technology projects to capable young scientists and engineers, while proactively inviting overseas Vietnamese and international experts to participate in key programs under flexible, globally aligned mechanisms.”

Thai Khang