Vietnam's Fintech Revolution: Lightning Network Powers Instant Payments

SINGAPORE, November 12, 2025 – A significant stride in global financial technology is underway as Neutron, a leading Bitcoin Lightning infrastructure company, and FinFan, a licensed Vietnamese cross-border payment service provider, announce their strategic partnership. This collaboration is set to officially distribute Lightning Network infrastructure across Vietnam, ushering in an era of instant, low-cost, and compliant payment solutions for institutions and consumers alike.

The alliance addresses Vietnam's escalating demand for real-time cross-border payouts, efficient merchant settlements, and seamless digital income flows. It promises trusted, compliance-ready integrations crucial for partners navigating the complex and evolving global financial landscape.

The Lightning Spark in Vietnam's Digital Economy

This partnership marks a pivotal moment, signaling the Lightning Network's evolution from a niche technology to a new standard for real-time settlement, as stated by Albert Buu, CEO of Neutron. By combining FinFan's robust local presence and regulatory foundation with Neutron's internet-native rails, the initiative aims to redefine value movement in Vietnam – making it instant, compliant, and borderless. Dr. Tuyen Nguyen, Founder/CEO of FinFan, emphasized that the collaboration merges local trust with global innovation, offering customers faster settlement, reduced fees, and predictable, compliant rails connecting Vietnam to global commerce.

Indeed, the Lightning Network has demonstrated remarkable growth and efficiency. It facilitated over 8 million monthly transactions in early 2025, with public Lightning volume surging 266% year-over-year. The network's public capacity stands at approximately 4,746.61 BTC (over $453 million), a testament to its expanding utility. With payment success rates exceeding 99% and transaction latency often less than half a second, it presents a compelling alternative to traditional payment rails. Fees for Lightning payments can be remarkably low, often under 0.5%, a substantial reduction compared to conventional methods.

Navigating Vietnam's Digital Frontier with Compliance

Vietnam's fintech market is a hotbed of innovation, boasting the second-highest growth rate in ASEAN. Valued at USD 16.9 billion in 2024, it is projected to reach USD 62.7 billion by 2033. This robust growth is fueled by surging digital adoption, with non-cash payment transactions increasing by 63.3% in volume and 41.45% in value in just one year. E-wallet usage is widespread, and QR code payments have seen an astronomical rise of over 892% in volume.

FinFan, operating since 2007, is a cornerstone of this digital transformation. It holds a crucial license from the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) for international remittance services, affirming its commitment to regulatory compliance. FinFan's extensive network includes partnerships with major financial institutions like BIDV, as well as global players such as MoneyGram, Thunes, Remitly, WorldRemit, Ripple, and Visa. This deep integration within both local and international financial ecosystems positions FinFan as an ideal partner to introduce sophisticated, compliant Lightning Network solutions.

The regulatory landscape in Vietnam, while fostering innovation, also emphasizes stringent compliance with KYC (Know Your Customer) processes. FinFan's established track record and licensed status are critical in navigating this environment, ensuring that the instant value transfer facilitated by the Lightning Network adheres to national and international financial regulations.

Building the Rails for a Future-Ready Ecosystem

Neutron's expertise lies in providing enterprise-grade Lightning Network infrastructure, making it a key enabler for businesses seeking instant settlement, efficient liquidity management, and compliance-ready integrations. The company’s vision is to establish the Lightning Network as the backbone for modern Bitcoin utilization, offering next-generation global real-time settlement solutions.

Neutron's track record includes significant partnerships beyond Vietnam, such as enabling real-time Lightning Network to Peso remittances in Colombia, transforming cross-border payments between Africa and Vietnam with Bitnob, and integrating its API with digital asset custody platform Cobo to facilitate cost-effective Bitcoin transactions across Asia. Its collaboration with Anytime Fitness Vietnam further demonstrates its ability to implement frictionless payment transactions in diverse sectors.

This partnership with FinFan extends Neutron's global reach, bringing its advanced infrastructure to a market ripe for digital payment modernization. While the Vietnamese fintech market is competitive with dominant e-wallet providers and traditional remittance services, the Neutron-FinFan alliance is pioneering dedicated institutional Lightning Network infrastructure, carving out a unique and strategic niche.

Unlocking New Economic Potential

The combined efforts of Neutron and FinFan are poised to unlock substantial economic potential for Vietnam. Businesses will benefit from faster cash cycles due to instant settlement, significantly reducing operational costs associated with traditional payment rails. For consumers, the partnership promises more transparent and affordable transfers, particularly crucial for cross-border remittances which play a vital role in the Vietnamese economy.

By offering open-finance connectivity, institutions can launch Lightning wallet services through APIs, with the flexibility to scale into future Lightning-based financial services as the network evolves. This forward-looking approach ensures that Vietnam's financial ecosystem remains at the forefront of global payment innovation, poised to leverage the full capabilities of internet-speed value transfer.