HCM City, Dec. 5 -- Ho Chi Minh City, known as Vietnam's commercial capital, is racing to establish itself as Southeast Asia's next major sci-tech and innovation hub by 2030 while building an ecosystem strong enough for its future International Financial Centre powered by open data, transparent digital assets, and seamless cross-border fintech flows. Digital backbone takes shape

At last month's Autumn Economic Forum, policymakers and industry leaders stressed that a world-class "fintech superhighway" built on international partnerships will be the backbone of the planned IFC.

Lam Dinh Thang, Director of the municipal Department of Science and Technology, said the city is pivoting to a growth model driven by knowledge, core technologies,...