National Card Day Vietnam – Sóng Festival: A Technological Extravaganza in Digital Payments

This event was a highlight of the activities of Vietnam Card Day 2024, organized by Tien Phong Newspaper in collaboration with the National Payment Corporation of Vietnam (NAPAS) under the content direction of the State Bank of Vietnam.

The opening ceremony was attended by Pham Tien Dung, Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam; Nguyen Duc Chi, Vice Minister of Finance; Nguyen Minh Triet, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and President of the Vietnam Students’ Union; Ha Minh Hai, Vice Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee; along with leaders of the Communication Department and Payment Department of the State Bank of Vietnam; and leaders of the Central Propaganda Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union.

On the part of the organizing units: Tien Phong Newspaper was represented by Phung Cong Suong, Editor-in-Chief and Head of the Organizing Committee; Vu Tien and Le Minh Toan, Deputy Editors-in-Chief and Deputy Heads of the Organizing Committee.

Representing the National Payment Corporation of Vietnam (NAPAS) were Nguyen Quang Hung, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Co-Head of the Organizing Committee; and Nguyen Quang Minh, General Director and Vice Head of the Organizing Committee.

Also in attendance were representatives of sponsors and partners, as well as Do Thi Ha, Miss Vietnam 2020 and Ambassador of Vietnam Card Day 2024.

In his opening remarks, journalist Phung Cong Suong, Editor-in-Chief of Tien Phong Newspaper and Head of the Organizing Committee, shared that in response to the Government’s and the State Bank’s direction in the proposal to reduce the use of cash, since 2020, under the direction of the State Bank of Vietnam, Tien Phong Newspaper and NAPAS have been organizing the annual Vietnam Card Day event to promote and encourage the public to use digital payment methods and reduce cash usage.

With its rich, engaging, and practical content, Vietnam Card Day has been a success from its very first edition thanks to the enthusiastic support and participation of banks, financial institutions, payment intermediaries, units, businesses, and a large number of people interested in experiencing modern payment methods.

“The difference of Vietnam Card Day 2024 – Song Festival lies in the fact that the Organizing Committee prioritizes the experience of the public, especially Gen Z, with smart payment technologies, while also creating a diverse playground to connect young people with leading banks and card organizations through a dynamic and attractive shopping and entertainment festival,” emphasized journalist Phung Cong Suong.

An appealing “payment feast”

Nguyen Quang Minh, General Director of the National Payment Corporation of Vietnam NAPAS and Vice Head of the Organizing Committee, shared that Vietnam Card Day is a series of events introducing the latest payment technologies and spreading the benefits of electronic payment methods. This helps encourage people to change their payment habits and move towards building a cashless society in Vietnam.

“And among the meaningful activities of the program, Song Festival is always an event eagerly awaited by young people, featuring new payment experiences combined with a youthful and vibrant shopping and entertainment festival,” acknowledged the General Director of the National Payment Corporation of Vietnam NAPAS.

This year, to further enhance the appeal of the program, NAPAS continues to bring new payment technology experiences such as tap to phone and smile to pay, with convenient, fast, and secure payment features. Smartphones replace traditional POS terminals by being integrated as soft POS to perform tap-to-pay transactions. Especially, with just a face scan, users can complete their payments in a matter of seconds.

Nguyen Quang Minh, General Director of the National Payment Corporation of Vietnam NAPAS, also expressed his hope that this year’s Song Festival would truly be an appealing “payment feast” that leaves a lasting impression on all customers, especially young people.

Always accompanying Vietnam Card Day

On behalf of the sponsors, Doan Hong Nhung, Member of the Executive Board and Director of Retail Banking at Vietcombank, affirmed her delight and honor to participate in the opening of the “Song Festival” event as part of Vietnam Card Day for the fourth time in 2024.

As a Diamond Sponsor accompanying the Vietnam Card Day program since its first edition, Ms. Nhung affirmed that Vietcombank believes that the event will continue to mark successes, spread positive messages, and bring unique experiences to the guests, especially young people – the future owners of the country, regarding new and modern payment services, contributing to building a green, safe, and sustainable capital and a cashless society. Vietnam Card Day has been recognized as a reputable event since its first edition, which is why Vietcombank has always accompanied it throughout the years.

Right after the speeches by the Organizing Committee, the event opened up spaces for modern smart payment technology experiences and dynamic entertainment.

The delegates, including Mr. Pham Tien Dung, Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam; Mr. Nguyen Minh Triet, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and President of the Vietnam Students’ Union; Mr. Nguyen Duc Chi, Vice Minister of Finance; Mr. Ha Minh Hai, Vice Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee; Mr. Phung Cong Suong, Editor-in-Chief of Tien Phong Newspaper and Head of the Organizing Committee; Mr. Nguyen Quang Hung, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Payment Corporation of Vietnam – NAPAS and Co-Head of the Organizing Committee; Ms. Doan Hong Nhung, Member of the Executive Board and Director of Retail Banking at Vietcombank, Diamond Sponsor; and Miss Vietnam 2020 Do Thi Ha, Ambassador of Vietnam Card Day 2024, went on stage to perform the “scan recognition” ritual. After the system recognized the delegates, they activated the system by touching the LED screen.

The opening ceremony also somewhat reflected the journey of experience in the new era. Thanks to technology, anyone can easily open a bank account through eKYC, and account numbers have become more user-friendly through a card, a QR code, or modern and convenient forms such as tap to phone and smile to pay. Just a smile is needed to complete a transaction in a few seconds, improving the user experience and keeping up with the strong development of technology.

The opening ceremony attracted the attention of thousands of students from universities in the Hanoi area.