Dat Bike’s latest funding round underscores the growing confidence of international investors in Vietnam’s EV sector. Lead investor F.C.C. Co., Ltd., a Tokyo-listed global leader in motorcycle components, sees Dat Bike as a key innovator who shapes the future of mobility in ASEAN.

The round was also joined by leading names such as Rebright Partners, Cathay Ventures, Jungle Ventures, and AiViet Venture to support the company’s mission of driving Vietnam’s green transition. These strategic partnerships not only provide capital, but also technical expertise, helping Dat Bike enhance product quality, manufacturing efficiency, and supply chain sustainability.

Dat Bike’s post-funding development plan reflects a clear commitment to sustainable development through quality and trust. By focusing first on its service foundation before scaling aggressively, the company ensures that every new rider experiences reliability. That is the key factor in Vietnam’s nationwide transition from gasoline to electric motorbikes.

The company is channelling the new capital into strengthening its foundation for sustainable growth, starting with a comprehensive upgrade of its service ecosystem nationwide.

Dat Bike’s first strategic move after this successful fundraising round is to transform its existing 3S (sales, service, and spare parts) store system into comprehensive electric motorbike care hub centres across the country. These enhanced centres will serve as a backbone of the after-sales ecosystem, ensuring customers receive consistent and high-quality support throughout their ownership journey.

The first centre under this model has begun operation on Au Co in Ho Chi Minh City. It allows walk-in service without prior appointment, and can accommodate up to 10 vehicles simultaneously, significantly reducing wait time for customers.

Each service centre is equipped with dedicated electric vehicle (EV) specific tools such as insulation testers, battery charge-discharge benches, lifting tables, motor diagnostic sensors, and leak-detection systems.

Beyond technical capabilities, the centres prioritise customer comfort, providing free EV charging, complimentary beverages, and a dedicated waiting lounge.

Dat Bike pioneers in EV conversion in Vietnam through innovation and sustainable development

Strength and innovation

Recognising that electric motorbikes require distinct expertise compared to traditional petrol vehicles, Dat Bike has also invested heavily in training of staff. Technicians undergo rigorous factory training, theoretical and practical assessments, and certification for diagnosing and repairing all Dat Bike models, with ongoing upskilling to maintain the highest service standards.

These service centres are envisioned as comprehensive support hubs where customers can test, purchase, and maintain their electric bikes in one seamless experience.

“Sustainability is not only about reducing emissions. It is about building a long-lasting ecosystem that customers can rely on every day. When riders feel confident in our service network, they feel confident in choosing electric”, said Son Nguyen, CEO of Dat Bike.

At the same time, Dat Bike plans to open 50 new 3S stores by the end of 2025 and reach 150 locations in 2026, extending its reach to both major cities and emerging urban areas. The goal is clear: make electric mobility accessible, reliable, and worry-free for every Vietnamese rider.

The company’s service-centre model underpins this expansion, enabling faster technical support, shorter maintenance queues, and more consistent customer experience nationwide.

Dat Bike’s successful fundraising of $22 million amidst an economic slowdown is also a testament to the strength and innovation of its products.

With performance and efficiency that rival petrol motorbikes, Dat Bike has proven that electric two-wheelers can meet the demands of everyday Vietnamese riders. The company’s in-house developed battery technology allows its latest model, Dat Bike Quantum, to travel up to 285km on a single charge. The battery boasts a lifespan of up to 25 years, and energy refill costs are only about one-tenth of those for a traditional motorbike.

In addition, Dat Bike users can charge easily at home using standard electrical outlets, which eliminates the need for complex public charging infrastructure and saves significant time for daily commuters.

These strengths convinced international investors that Dat Bike is capable of leading Vietnam’s EV transformation through local innovation and sustainable practices.

With plans the continued rollout of improved manufacturing and research and development capabilities, Dat Bike is paving the way for an electric mobility ecosystem that is built to last.

“Our vision goes beyond selling bikes. We are building a sustainable future for clean, reliable, and proudly Vietnamese electric mobility,” said CEO Nguyen.

Market data as of December shows broad-based price increases across major tungsten products. The price of tungsten ore has climbed nearly 150 per cent since the start of the year, lifting tungsten prices to their highest levels since 2013.

The primary catalyst behind the surge is China, which controls approximately 70-80 per cent of global tungsten production and export capacity. Throughout 2025, China has tightened export restrictions on strategic minerals, including tungsten, by enforcing stricter quotas and licensing regimes.

The resulting supply contraction has rapidly tightened global markets, exposing the extent to which key industrial sectors remain reliant on Chinese output. Analysts increasingly compare today’s tungsten market to historic oil markets, where highly concentrated supply rendered prices acutely sensitive to geopolitical and policy decisions.

Structural demand

On the demand side, tungsten consumption is rising steadily and is expected to remain structurally strong. Tungsten is essential to defence systems, renewable energy infrastructure, semiconductors, photovoltaics, precision tooling, and advanced hard materials.

Unlike cyclical commodities, demand from these sectors is highly resilient and less vulnerable to short-term economic fluctuations. At the same time, the development of new tungsten mines remains constrained by high capital intensity, long lead times, and tightening environmental standards.

As a result, many analysts believe the tungsten market has entered a prolonged period of structural undersupply, likely sustaining a materially higher price environment for years to come.

In this context, tungsten is increasingly referred to as the “black gold” of the modern economy. If oil powered the industrial expansion of the 20th century, tungsten underpins the technologies shaping the 21st, from defence and clean energy to semiconductors and advanced manufacturing.

The sharp rise in tungsten prices reflects a broader revaluation of strategic minerals, where supply chain security, geopolitical resilience, and resource sovereignty now rival traditional supply and demand fundamentals in determining value.

Vietnam’s emerging strategic advantage

As major economies move to diversify supply chains and reduce reliance on China, countries with tungsten dependence resources and downstream capabilities outside China are gaining strategic importance. Vietnam is among a small group of nations that combine meaningful reserves with industrial-scale mining and processing capacity.

Vietnam’s tungsten resources are largely concentrated at the Nui Phao tungsten gomtallic mine in Thai Nguyen province, one of the world’s largest tungsten mines outside China, operated by Masan High-Tech Materials, a member of Masan Group. The operation extends well beyond ore extraction, with significant investments in downstream processing, producing ammonium paratungstate, tungsten oxides, and other advanced materials supplied to global markets.

Given constrained global supply and rising demand, tungsten prices are expected to remain elevated over the medium term, reinforcing its role as a strategic input to the high-tech economy. As global supply chains are reconfigured to reduce concentration risk, countries with secure resources and advanced processing capabilities are set to increase geopolitical and economic relevance.

For Vietnam, this moment represents more than a commodity cycle, it is an opportunity to secure a lasting position in the world’s emerging black gold race.

MHT advances its ‘Back to Basics’ strategy Masan High-Tech Materials (MHT) has reaffirmed its commitment to delivering value through the execution of its ‘Back-to-Basics’ strategy.

German Parliamentary State Secretary Stefan Rouenhoff visits Nui Phao tungsten mine Stefan Rouenhoff, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy of Germany, led a high-level delegation of ministry officials and senior executives to visit Masan High-Tech Materials (MHT), the operator of Nui Phao mine in Thai Nguyen province.

Masan Group reports strong Q3 growth nearing full-year targets Masan Group has reported strong third-quarter results, with revenue and profit both rising sharply and nearly reaching its full-year targets.

On December 18 in Hanoi, the Vietnam Digital Communications Association (VDCA), in coordination with the Institute for Policy and Media Development Studies, held a workshop to discuss policies and legal frameworks for the development of digital technology in Vietnam.

The event took place against the backdrop of Vietnam’s recent major institutional advances, particularly following the National Assembly’s passage of the Artificial Intelligence Law along with legal documents governing data and electronic transactions on the afternoon of December 10.

The workshop also formed part of the Vietnam-Australia Responsible Technology Technical Cooperation Programme for the 2023-2026 period, which focuses on developing an appropriate AI governance framework and safeguarding human rights in the digital environment. The initiative aims to further refine policies, shape a safe and transparent digital ecosystem, and lay the foundation for sustainable innovation in Vietnam.

Sharing data at the event, Nguyen Minh Hong, chairman of VDCA, cited findings from the Southeast Asia Digital Economy Report, noting that Vietnam’s digital economy is estimated at $40 billion, ranking third in Southeast Asia, with growth of 17 per cent compared to 2024 and continuing to lead ASEAN in terms of growth rate.

“Vietnam is witnessing a rapid expansion and maturation of its digital ecosystem and digital economy,” said Hong. “However, digital technology development also presents significant challenges, particularly the ethical and responsible use of technology, and how to ensure that all citizens, including vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, can be included and benefit from technological progress.”

According to Hong, the workshop was organised to review Vietnam’s recent policy additions while discussing key issues such as safeguarding human rights in the digital environment, international experience in AI governance, and major highlights of the new law on AI.

Nguyen Minh Hong, chairman of the Vietnam Digital Communications Association

From an international perspective, Joe Bourke, second secretary at the Australian Embassy in Vietnam, noted that Australia has recently launched its National AI Plan and established an AI Safety Institute to ensure that technology is developed in a safe and inclusive manner.

“The Australian government is committed to working alongside Vietnam through bilateral cooperation schemes with partners such as IPS, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics to build a digital transformation roadmap grounded in human rights and aligned with international best practices,” he said.

Joe Bourke, second secretary at the Australian Embassy in Vietnam

From the human rights protection angle, Joanna Mansfield, head of International Engagement at the Australian Human Rights Commission, stressed the importance of striking a balance between innovation and the protection of human rights.

“Emerging technologies, including AI, carry risks of misuse if not properly governed. AI therefore must be developed for people, rather than to infringe upon or undermine fundamental rights,” said Mansfield.

“Embedding human rights from the design stage, ensuring transparency and accountability, and paying particular attention to the protection of vulnerable communities are becoming increasingly urgent requirements in the current context,” she added.

Discussing policy aspects, Ho Duc Thang, director of the National Institute for Digital Technology and Digital Transformation under the Ministry of Science and Technology, observed that amid the rapid development of models such as ChatGPT, Vietnam is becoming the fourth market globally, after the EU, South Korea, and Japan, to make concerted efforts in AI governance.

“The newly enacted Artificial Intelligence Law is among the fastest-passed laws in Vietnam’s legislative history. Its core principle lies in striking a balance while prioritising development through mechanisms such as AI vouchers and free computing infrastructure for small and medium-sized enterprises,” he said.

Ho Duc Thang, director of the National Institute for Digital Technology and Digital Transformation

One notable feature highlighted by Thang is the development of an AI ethics assessment framework.

“This is essentially a specialised certification examination for computer systems to ensure human-centricity and transparency in line with Vietnamese values before they are deployed at scale,” stated Thang.

Complementing this perspective, Prof. Jeannie Marie Paterson, director of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Ethics at the University of Melbourne, Australia, offered comparative insights into the value frameworks underpinning Australia’s and Vietnam’s regulatory approaches.

Paterson proposed six principles for the responsible use of AI, including identifying accountable entities, understanding impacts and planning accordingly, measuring and managing risks, ensuring transparency, conducting testing and monitoring, and maintaining meaningful human oversight.

“While Australia tends to rely more on flexible, guidance-based mechanisms, or soft law, Vietnam demonstrates strong commitment through concrete legal obligations on safety and sustainable development,” she said.

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