 |
| A delegation from the Vietnam E-Commerce and Digital Economy Agency conducts a field visit to examine the operations and distribution infrastructure for imported goods sold through e-commerce at the Zhengzhou Bonded Zone in China. — Photo courtesy of the Vietnam E-Commerce and Digital Economy Agency |
HÀ NỘI — E-commerce is emerging as an increasingly important channel for Vietnamese businesses to enter international markets, with cross-border e-commerce (CBEC), or online exports, opening new opportunities for companies of all sizes, according to the Vietnam E-Commerce and Digital Economy Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Unlike traditional export models, CBEC enables manufacturers, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), start-ups and cooperatives with suitable products to reach overseas consumers and business partners directly through digital platforms.
The global CBEC market is expanding rapidly. Precedence Research estimates it will be worth US$551.23 billion in 2025 and exceed $2 trillion by 2034, while Business Research Insights forecasts it will reach $1.34 trillion in 2026 and $4.3 trillion by 2035. Asia-Pacific is expected to account for 44 per cent of the market.
Despite differences among forecasts, the figures highlight the growing role of CBEC in international trade as digital platforms make overseas markets more accessible.
In the EU, about 5.8 billion low-value parcels worth less than €150 were imported in 2025, up more than 25 per cent year-on-year, according to the European Commission. In the US, more than 1.36 billion parcels entered under the de minimis regime in fiscal 2024, up tenfold from 134 million in 2015, according to US Customs and Border Protection. The rapid growth has prompted tighter controls and tariff policies for cross-border e-commerce.
China offers another example of the rapid development of the CBEC ecosystem. Its e-commerce market was estimated at $3.45 trillion in 2025, accounting for about 47 per cent of the global market. The country has more than 178 national CBEC pilot zones and around 2,500 bonded warehouses overseas.
Việt Nam is also gaining momentum. Data presented at the 2025 Cross-Border E-commerce Forum showed that exports through e-commerce were estimated to grow 78 per cent in 2025, bringing the total import-export value through the channel to about $4.45 billion.
Diverse models open new opportunities
CBEC models are becoming increasingly diverse, ranging from international marketplaces and domestic platforms to B2B platforms, direct-to-consumer websites, bonded warehouses and content-driven commerce.
International marketplaces such as Amazon enable Vietnamese businesses to list products in target markets while accessing fulfilment and distribution services. Shopee offers another route into Asian markets, while Alibaba.com focuses on B2B connections with importers, distributors and corporate buyers.
Bonded warehouses and overseas fulfilment centres can help businesses keep goods closer to consumers, shorten delivery times and improve inventory management.
Meanwhile, discovery e-commerce and shoppertainment, exemplified by TikTok Shop, are changing how consumers discover products through short videos, livestreams and creator content. This gives exporters opportunities to combine localised content with direct online sales.
Businesses can choose one model or combine several, depending on their products, target markets and operational capacity.
Lê Hoàng Oanh, Director General of the Vietnam E-Commerce and Digital Economy Agency, said the potential for Vietnamese businesses to use e-commerce to reach international consumers remains substantial.
However, she stressed that e-commerce is only a tool for bringing products to market more quickly. Sustainable growth requires businesses to improve product quality, digital capabilities, operational processes and branding.
“Whether it is e-commerce or discovery commerce, product quality remains the core factor,” she said.
To help businesses build these capabilities, the Vietnam E-Commerce and Digital Economy Agency has combined policy and legal training with practical training, market surveys and direct business connections.
Training programmes in Việt Nam have helped businesses, cooperatives and household enterprises develop online stores, digital marketing, e-payment, order management and product promotion skills, laying the groundwork for online exports.
The authority is also organising programmes that take Vietnamese businesses directly into overseas CBEC ecosystems.
Recently, the Centre for E-commerce and Digital Technology Development (EcomDX), together with the Alliance for Cross-Border Commerce (ACBC) and domestic and international partners, organised a training, market survey and business-matching programme in Henan Province, China.
Participants visited the Wanbang agricultural distribution centre, supermarkets, bonded warehouses in Zhengzhou’s free trade zone, and livestreaming and short-video production facilities. They also examined CBEC logistics routes connecting Việt Nam with China and onward to Europe and Russia.
The programme enabled Vietnamese businesses to meet importers, e-commerce operators, logistics providers and other ecosystem partners, giving them a better understanding of market demand, regulations, product standards, packaging, labelling, supply chains and logistics.
The authority and EcomDX plan to continue CBEC training programmes in Việt Nam while organising practical training, market surveys and business-matching activities in major markets including China, the EU, the US, Japan and the Republic of Korea.
The goal is to help Vietnamese businesses build practical export capabilities, connect with international platforms and partners, and make better use of the growing opportunities offered by cross-border e-commerce. — VNS
