Vietnam is making its mark in Southeast Asia as an emerging hub for emerging technologies, with the country’s sustainability efforts benefiting from the windfall of digitization.
Experts at the Open Innovation Day (OID) 2025, a conference showcasing milestones in emerging technologies, noted that next-gen solutions are forming the bedrock for Vietnam’s green transformation. Held in Ho Chi Minh City, the experts highlighted blockchain technology and artificial intelligence (AI) as the twin pillars that can support the country’s green transformation.
With AI, several Vietnamese manufacturers are transitioning from a linear “take-make-dispose” model to circular models, aiming to reduce waste. Meanwhile, smart buildings are gaining momentum in the Southeast Asian nation, driven by AI and IoT sensors that optimize energy usage.
Despite the rising use cases, experts at the OID conference highlighted a raft of challenges facing AI’s role in sustainability efforts. For starters, the experts mentioned infrastructural deficits, specifically a robust fiber-optic cable network and data centers, to meet the steep computing power requirements of AI.
Keynote speakers at the event noted the reliance on foreign cloud computing service providers, raising questions over Vietnam’s digital sovereignty. Attendees pushed for a “demand-driven AI” approach while urging sector players to abandon the clunky large language models (LLMs) in favor of lightweight, purpose-built models.
The attendees noted that blockchain had equal footing with AI in ensuring Vietnam’s green transformation, citing its transparency and tamper-proof perks. For the keynote speakers, blockchain will support the country’s sustainability efforts by verifying data provenance and guaranteeing immutability.
While demonstrating initial promise in providing governments, enterprises, and residents with a “source of truth,” the experts disclosed that mainstream adoption faces its unique headwinds. Experts noted that weak data connectivity among key sectors and government agencies can derail blockchain’s utility in Vietnam’s transformation efforts.
A red-hot adoption spree for Vietnam
After disclosing its intent to become the regional leader for digitization, the Vietnamese government unveiled a raft of initiatives to back its ambitions. In mid-2025, the country legalized digital assets, with Ho Chi Minh City and other municipalities investing in blockchain and AI to digitize key economic sectors.
Since its investment in emerging technologies, digital payment volumes have soared in Vietnam, with authorities eyeing cross-border settlement functionalities. Amid rising use cases, the country is tapping blockchain to police the $3 trillion halal food market with sustainable operations driving early movers.
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Thai authorities raid World iris scanning location over unauthorized operations
Early in the year, Thailand’s SEC issued an advisory to ecosystem players, highlighting activity that may constitute the operation of a digital asset business. At the time, the SEC urged the public to be wary of WLD, the native token of World, issued to users in exchange for verification after iris scanning at Orb locations globally.
Meanwhile, a statement on World’s website claimed that the project only distributes WLD tokens after iris scans in regions “where laws allow.” As an added layer of protection, World noted that the company will not be liable for the availability of WLD on centralized and decentralized exchanges.
Following the joint raid, Jomkwan Kongsakul, SEC Deputy Secretary-General, confirmed the arrest of suspects at the orb location in Thailand while hinting at accelerated legal procedures. Meanwhile, the SEC executive noted that the collaboration with the CCIB will improve the government’s supervision over the industry amid rising risks in the space.
“This collaboration will enhance the effectiveness of law enforcement in prosecuting and suppressing unlicensed digital asset businesses, while protecting users from lack of legal protection and mitigating risks of scams and money laundering,” said Kongsakul.
Thailand’s SEC has since published a list of licensed business operators to protect the public while maintaining a list of unauthorized entities operating in the space. Apart from cracking down on authorized players in the space, Thailand’s SEC has previously launched a digital asset regulatory sandbox, unveiling plans to issue $149 million worth of digital bonds by the end of the year.
World has faced its fair share of backlash from global regulators over issues of privacy and the handling of biometric data. Early in the year, Brazilian authorities ordered World to cease incentivizing the collection of biometric data with its WLD token, with regulators highlighting concerns of undue pressure.
Furthermore, Argentinian authorities have previously opened an extensive probe into the operations of World in the South American country. Things reached a crescendo for the Sam Altman-backed digital identity project after regulators in the U.K., Kenya, France, and Germany opened independent investigations into its operations.
In order for artificial intelligence (AI) to work right within the law and thrive in the face of growing challenges, it needs to integrate an enterprise blockchain system that ensures data input quality and ownership — allowing it to keep data safe while also guaranteeing the immutability of data. Check out CoinGeek’s coverage on this emerging tech to learn more why Enterprise blockchain will be the backbone of AI.
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