Over 28% of Vietnamese adults issued digital signatures

THE HANOI TIMES — More than 18 million digital signature certificates have been issued to Vietnamese adults as of June, covering 28.4% of the adult population, according to the National Electronic Authentication Center (NEAC).

During a July 2 meeting with public certification providers, NEAC Director To Thi Thu Huong reported a fourfold increase in active certificates year-over-year, largely driven by personal users.

"Digital signatures are an irreversible trend," she said.

Legally equivalent to handwritten signatures, digital signatures are widely used for tax filing, contracts, and online transactions, helping to cut bureaucracy and boost transparency.

Starting June 1, new tax rules require household businesses to issue e-invoices, leading to a surge in demand for personal digital signatures, with the number of personal certificates rising from 12.4 million in November 2024. 

To meet the government’s 2025 target of 50% adult adoption, NEAC estimates that two million new certificates must be issued each month.

While ambitious, this goal is achievable with the right incentives, as Nguyen Kho Din, Vice President of the Vietnam Certificate Authority and Digital Transaction Club, highlighted five million household businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises as a high-potential market. He proposed government support for free or discounted services and technology training.

Since their introduction in Vietnam in 2007 via USB tokens, digital signatures have evolved. Remote signing solutions, licensed in 2021, are accelerating usage.

At the current pace, NEAC projects that digital signature coverage could reach the level of mobile services within five to seven years.