BIDV, HanaBank, and Partners Launch Vietnam-Korea QR Payment Service
BIDV, in collaboration with Vietnam National Payment Corporation (NAPAS), KEB Hana Bank (Hana Bank), and GLN International, has officially launched a cross-border QR payment service between Vietnam and South Korea.
On April 23, 2026, in Hanoi, the launch event for the Vietnam-Korea cross-border QR payment service was attended by Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) Pham Tien Dung, leaders from NAPAS, GLN, BIDV, Hana Bank, the Vietnamese Tourism Ambassador to South Korea, as well as representatives from businesses and media outlets. The event marked a significant step forward in promoting cross-border digital payments, where every QR code in Vietnam becomes a hub for international trade, contributing to the creation of a modern, secure, and sustainable financial ecosystem.
Speaking at the ceremony, Director of the Payment Department (State Bank of Vietnam) Pham Anh Tuan stated: In recent times, the State Bank of Vietnam has actively promoted the implementation of bilateral retail payment connectivity via QR codes between Vietnam and South Korea, aiming to provide payment convenience for customers and contribute to strengthening trade and tourism between the two nations.
In 2025, Vietnam welcomed over 21.2 million international visitors, a 20% increase compared to 2024. Among these, South Korea was the second-largest source market for visitors to Vietnam, with approximately 4.3 million visitors, accounting for 20% of total international arrivals. At the same time, the number of tourists traveling from Vietnam to South Korea is reported to have grown steadily, reaching approximately 550,000 in 2025 (a 9% increase compared to 2024).
“With these impressive figures, the cross-border QR code payment connectivity between Vietnam and South Korea promises to bring significant benefits in local currency payments for South Korean tourists visiting Vietnam as well as Vietnamese tourists traveling to South Korea, contributing to the goal of promoting cashless payments in both countries,” Mr. Pham Anh Tuan affirmed.
Integrating Infrastructure – Seamlessly Connecting Two Financial Ecosystems
The QR payment service allows South Korean tourists and South Koreans living and working in Vietnam to use banking apps or e-wallets familiar to them in South Korea to make QR code payments at the network of hundreds of thousands of VIETQRGlobal acceptance points nationwide, delivering a convenient, fast, and seamless payment experience just as if they were transacting in South Korea.
As a pioneer in establishing platforms and payment connections with banks and e-wallets in Korea, BIDV’s collaboration with Hana Bank to launch this Vietnam-Korea cross-border QR payment service demonstrates its technological capabilities and reaffirms its leadership in connectivity, digital transformation, and providing a digital financial ecosystem for both domestic and international customers. BIDV has prepared the best resources and a modern, secure, and seamless technological infrastructure with the goal of ensuring that South Korean tourists visiting Vietnam will have a complete and familiar experience, just as if they were using services in their own country.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Le Ngoc Lam – Member of the Board of Directors and CEO of BIDV – emphasized BIDV’s two key roles in the project: “First, as the settlement bank, BIDV serves as a financial bridge, ensuring that QR payment transactions between the two markets are processed quickly, securely, and accurately. The bank is committed to providing modern payment infrastructure that meets international standards, delivering a seamless and reliable experience for customers as well as partners within the digital payment ecosystem. Second, as a direct developer of the payment acceptance network, BIDV possesses a large customer base and an extensive partner ecosystem, enabling it to proactively expand its cross-border payment acceptance network, particularly in the tourism, retail, and service sectors. “From small businesses to large enterprises and retail chains, all are supported in accessing and implementing convenient, efficient services.”
A key highlight of the service is the close collaboration between financial institutions—banks and national payment infrastructures—of both countries. In Vietnam, NAPAS—the operator of the national retail payment infrastructure with over 20 years of experience in financial switching—connects and operates the payment network via the VIETQRGlobal code. In South Korea, GLN International—a global financial platform within the Hana Financial Group ecosystem—serves as the hub connecting to South Korean banks and customer payment applications. GLN is currently rapidly expanding its network across many countries through QR payment services, ATM cash withdrawals, and cross-border digital money transfers.
Mr. Nguyen Quang Minh, General Director of NAPAS, stated, “As the national retail payment infrastructure, NAPAS has identified expanding cross-border QR payment connectivity as a key priority to develop a modern, secure payment infrastructure that serves citizens and businesses. In the coming period, NAPAS will continue to expand QR payment connectivity with many countries, aiming to build an ecosystem.”
As key clearing banks in their respective countries, BIDV and Hana Bank have joined forces to build cross-border clearing and settlement infrastructure, helping to optimize processes across their nationwide payment networks. As strategic partners for over five years, the mutual understanding and willingness to cooperate between BIDV and Hana Bank to successfully implement every project form the foundation for advancing the cross-border QR code payment connectivity project between Vietnam and South Korea
Hana Bank will collaborate with BIDV and Napas to develop a diverse range of digital financial services.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Lee Ho Sung, CEO of Hana Bank, affirmed: “We will not stop at the payment sector; in the coming period, we will continue to strengthen our close cooperation with BIDV and NAPAS, aiming to develop a wider range of digital financial services that go beyond the scope of traditional payments.”
In the coming period, BIDV and Hana Bank will continue to enhance two-way connectivity, aiming to expand payment capabilities for Vietnamese people in South Korea, thereby promoting the sustainable development of the digital financial ecosystem between the two countries. In particular, as key clearing banks in their respective countries, BIDV and Hana Bank have partnered to build cross-border clearing and settlement infrastructure, helping to optimize processes through their nationwide payment networks
As an organization with extensive experience in deploying payment platforms across multiple countries, Mr. Lee Suk, CEO of GLN International, stated at the event:“I believe these changes will further strengthen economic and cultural exchange between the two nations, laying the groundwork for bringing people closer together. At the same time, through this partnership, we expect Vietnamese citizens to have more opportunities to use QR payments not only in South Korea but also in other Asian countries such as Japan, Thailand, Laos, and the Philippines through the global network of Hana Bank and GLN.”
A Step Forward in Vietnam-South Korea Cooperation in Digital Payments
The Vietnam-South Korea cross-border QR code payment service was launched based on a cooperation agreement signed at the Vietnam-South Korea Economic Forum in August 2025, witnessed by high-ranking leaders from both nations. In less than a year, the parties completed system integration, integrated payment and settlement infrastructure, and officially launched the service.
More than just a technological solution, the Vietnam-South Korea cross-border QR payment service represents a significant step forward in the regional financial integration process, helping to boost trade and tourism flows between the two nations while advancing the State Bank of Vietnam’s strategy for cashless payment development.
The cross-border QR payment service is a testament to the increasingly deepening cooperation between Vietnam and South Korea in the financial and banking sectors, helping to usher in an era of borderless payments where every QR code in Vietnam becomes a hub for international trade, aiming for a modern, secure, and sustainable financial ecosystem that promotes bilateral trade, while affirming Vietnam’s position within the ASEAN and Asian regional digital payment networks.
Vietnam–South Korea Cross-Border QR Service: A “Catalyst” for Tourism and Trade
South Korea has been one of Vietnam’s largest tourist markets for many years. The demand for seamless payment services connecting Vietnam and South Korea—enabling South Korean tourists to enjoy convenient and secure experiences—is ever-present and continues to grow. Cashless payments, particularly cross-border QR code payments, are expected to help eliminate barriers related to currency, exchange rates, and the habit of using cash—factors that often cause inconvenience for international tourists. Connecting payments via QR code services will help further promote and significantly boost economic, tourism, and trade cooperation between Vietnam and South Korea amid increasingly comprehensive bilateral cooperation.
Previously, on April 21, 2026, BIDV announced the launch of its digital economy ecosystem at the BIDV Leadership Summit 2026, demonstrating its readiness in terms of resources, technological capabilities, and platforms to support customers in connecting to global markets—including South Korea—as Vietnamese businesses integrate into the global economy.
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