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An Ipsos study named CX Global Insights 2025, which was conducted in 18 countries with 65,000 responses, revealed that 64 per cent of Vietnamese consumers prioritised brands they trust to deliver high-quality products and services, while 57 per cent were willing to pay a premium for superior experiences. These findings underscored the growing importance of CX in driving customer loyalty, advocacy, and business growth. They would also indicate a strong impact of emotional attachment on business outcomes.

The study showed that customers who were emotionally connected exhibited an impressive net promoter score of 72, far surpassing the score of 54 for functionally satisfied customers. Moreover, emotionally attached customers were more forgiving of occasional missteps, with 74 per cent willing to forgive a brand.

Phung Tran, head of customer experience at Ipsos Vietnam, said, “Building strong emotional connections is key to great customer experiences. It comes from quality interactions and boosts customer value while insulating brands from occasional mistakes.”

The study also revealed that among seven sectors covered in the research, the concept of emotional attachment was widely pursued among banks and online retailers (both at 50 per cent) while being relatively new among the automotive and insurance industries (45 per cent and 44 per cent).

Based on the results, when successfully building emotional attachments with customers, the CX key performance indicators climbed markedly among insurance and supermarket companies.

The Vietnam study also reveals that sectors such as fintech, banking, and online retail are successfully delivering memorable customer experiences. These industries have recognised the importance of emotional connections and have implemented strategies to build strong brand-customer relationships. On the other hand, the mobile network provider and insurers sector fall behind, indicating a need for improvement in empowering customers and giving them a sense of command in their interactions with the brand.

The picture is clear that some industries are behind compared to others. “There is certainly homework to be done by many CX leaders in Vietnam,” commented Tram Luong, CX research manager at Ipsos Vietnam.

To elevate CX through emotional attachment, a holistic approach, combining the “Forces of CX” with an “Experience Factors” framework should be considered. The “Forces of CX” refer to the core elements that shape a customer’s perception during interactions with a brand – typically including emotion, ease, and effectiveness. Meanwhile, the “Experience Factors” framework focuses on elements that influence the customer journey – such as technology, touchpoints, processes, and people.

The holistic approach encompasses employee training, personalisation, omnichannel consistency, and alignment with brand promises, enabling businesses to consistently deliver exceptional experiences across all touchpoints.

Personalisation is also a powerful differentiator and can elevate the relationship. Brands need to demonstrate an understanding of customers’ personal situations and circumstances and use that to deliver a tailored interaction.

“As Vietnamese consumers become increasingly demanding, businesses are prioritising CX to remain competitive. By embracing the power of emotional factors, companies can unlock the full potential of CX and build profitable customer relationships. The journey from like to love lies in understanding, anticipating, and exceeding customer expectations is now going to emotional level. Those who master this art will emerge as leaders in Vietnam’s dynamic and competitive business landscape,” added Tran.

Gradual but radical changes set to sweep pharmaceutical landscape The upcoming implementation of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) is expected to transform the competitive landscape of Vietnam’s pharmaceutical and medical industry.

High excitement and trust in tech advancements thanks to AI The findings of Ipsos Vietnam position Vietnam as a dynamic market ready to adopt and benefit from AI technologies, echoing the sentiment across other Asian countries.

Businesses are adapt to Vietnam’s demographic shifts Businesses need to urged to adjust their strategies as the country enters a period of an ageing population in the next 10-15 years, according to a survey released on September 16.

Cathay Cargo has developed a specialised service known as Cathay Expert, designed to provide comprehensive logistics solutions for high-value, high-risk cargo categories that require stringent safety and precision standards.

Cathay Dangerous Goods, meanwhile, specialises in the professional handling of hazardous materials, including flammable liquids, toxic gases, radioactive substances, and more.

Unlike conventional freight transport, items like aircraft engines, semiconductor machinery, industrial machinery, and vehicles require complex handling processes that demand deep expertise and suitable infrastructure. Each shipment must comply with strict technical specifications, safety monitoring, timely delivery, and international regulatory standards.

Cathay Expert was created as a specialised service platform to help customers, especially those in the aviation, engineering, and manufacturing sectors, overcome the logistical challenges associated with heavyweight, ultra-long, odd-sized vibration-sensitive, fragile items, as well as the most special shipments like helicopters and precision machinery.

“When transporting aircraft engines or semiconductor machinery, mere freight capacity is not enough. Customers need a partner who understands the risks, has rigorous quality control systems, a professionally trained expert team, and end-to-end synchronised processes. That’s why we developed Cathay Expert,” said Duong Ngoc Son, area cargo manager for Vietnam.

Cathay Expert strategically integrates the aviation value chain, from operations and engineering to logistics. Photo: Cathay Cargo

Leveraging its base in Hong Kong, Asia’s leading cargo transshipment hub, Cathay Cargo positions Cathay Expert as a regional service connecting Vietnam with key markets such as Singapore, Japan, and Hong Kong.

These markets serve as crucial hubs: Singapore is Southeast Asia’s largest aircraft maintenance and aerospace technology centre, Tokyo Narita is Japan’s transport and technical gateway, a nation renowned for excellence and reliability in heavy industries, while Hong Kong stands as a premier international transshipment point and Cathay Cargo’s global coordination centre.

Vietnam’s commercial airlines, with expanding fleets, face growing demands for regular engine maintenance that complies with ICAO and IATA technical and safety standards. However, local maintenance infrastructure does not yet fully meet the deep technical requirements for next-generation engines.

Therefore, transporting engines to specialised centres around the world has become the preferred choice, ensuring precision, technical quality, and optimal maintenance turnaround times.

Cathay Cargo serves as the logistical bridge, managing the entire process, from receiving cargo at domestic technical warehouses, handling international transportation and customs clearance, to final delivery at maintenance facilities.

With expertise in handling high-tech freight and dedicated teams at key transit points including Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Hong Kong, Cathay Cargo guarantees the entire transport journey adheres to strict standards. This includes specialised packaging, freight or passenger aircraft transport, 24/7 shipment monitoring, and dedicated technical support at airports. Within Vietnam, Cathay Cargo is actively strengthening strategic partnerships with domestic airlines.

The cooperation between Cathay Cargo and Vietnamese carriers not only optimises costs and timing for maintenance operations but also strategically integrates the aviation value chain, from operations and engineering to logistics. By serving as the carrier that transports aircraft engines to specialised service facilities, Cathay Cargo is enabling Vietnamese airlines to maintain operational efficiency and continue flying safely, ultimately supporting them in serving the market more effectively.

Lithium-ion batteries are the backbone of modern technology, powering everything from electric vehicles and mobile devices to aerospace applications. However, they are also among the most dangerous air cargo due to risks of fire or explosion from collisions, overheating, or electrical leakage.

To minimise such risks, Cathay Cargo has implemented the Regulated Battery Initiativeservice under Cathay Dangerous Goods. Here, lithium-ion batteries in loose form are packed inside internationally certified fire containment bags, designed to isolate and prevent fire spread in case of incidents.

Moreover, these shipments are strictly monitored by the Dangerous Goods Regulations team, experts trained according to IATA standards, ensuring compliance throughout the journey from origin to delivery.

What sets Cathay Expert apart is its transport capability and advanced real-time monitoring technology and experienced logistics professionals. The cargo tracking system uses GPS sensors and measures temperature and humidity, allowing customers to closely monitor shipment conditions, especially vital for sensitive items like engines and batteries.

HeavyPro is the latest iteration of an app developed by the Cargo Operation Centre and Cathay’s IT teams. This app both automates the calculation process but also generates precise loading diagrams of how and where the shipment should be secured to the hold with restraint straps.

Major transit hubs such as Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo Narita are equipped with dedicated infrastructure for specialised cargo, including specialised warehouses and heavy-lift unloading facilities. Their technical and logistics teams operate 24/7, ready to manage emergencies and coordinate flexible schedules.

As Vietnam increasingly integrates into global value chains, the demand for transporting high-tech cargo such as aircraft engines, electronic components, and hazardous goods will continue to grow. With Cathay Expert and Cathay Dangerous Goods, Cathay Cargo is not merely providing logistics services but is shaping new standards for specialised cargo transport across the Asia-Pacific region.

Cathay Cargo asserts global positioning with Vietnam presence Cathay Cargo, the cargo division of the Cathay Group, is steadily asserting its global position through a robust fleet, an expansive route network, and a sharp market strategy with its Vietnam presence.

Cathay Fresh: the optimal cold-chain solution Cathay Fresh, Cathay Cargo’s specialised cold-chain transportation solution, was designed to preserve the maximum freshness of perishable goods such as fruits, vegetables, seafood, pharmaceuticals, and meat.

According to FPT Digital, AI and generative AI are creating positive impacts across the global pharmaceutical industry. GenAI is expected to contribute between $60 billion and $110 billion annually from 2024 to 2029. All stages of the pharmaceutical value chain are benefiting from the application of GenAI.

Hoang Viet Anh, chairman of FPT Digital, explained that AI supports the development of new drugs by significantly reducing both time and costs. A notable example is Insilico Medicine, which, with AI support, discovered a new drug in under 18 months, at just 10 per cent of the usual cost.

“In clinical trials, AI can shorten the trial period by up to 12 months and cut costs by 50 per cent compared to conventional methods,” Anh said.

To realise these substantial benefits, the global pharmaceutical industry is expected to invest heavily in AI towards 2030, with projected annual growth of 42.68 per cent. By 2029, total investment in AI by pharmaceutical companies is forecast to reach $18 billion, with the Asia–Pacific region emerging as the fastest-growing market.

“The application of AI in the pharmaceutical industry has been, and will continue to be, a strong development trend,” said Anh. “Vietnam cannot remain outside that trend. This is a golden opportunity for Vietnam’s pharmaceutical sector to embrace digital transformation and apply AI to boost operational efficiency.”

Anh noted that Vietnam currently has a highly open legal framework, including heavily promoted new rules on providing strong impetus for digital transformation and the application of new technology and innovation across all sectors, including pharmaceuticals.

In parallel, the role of the private economy is being enhanced, enabling pharmaceutical firms, hospitals, doctors, and pharmacists to collaborate based on shared data systems.

However, experts have pointed out that Vietnam’s healthcare sector still faces considerable challenges in applying AI and innovation to improve healthcare accessibility. The pharmaceutical data infrastructure remains fragmented, lacking a centralised, standardised, and digitalised system – a major roadblock to development.

“The industry continues to face difficulties in tracing drug origins and preventing the circulation of counterfeit or substandard medicines,” admitted Anh from FPT Digital. “Clinical trials for new drugs also remain lengthy.”

Experts suggested that Vietnam could learn from international models to enhance innovation and digital transformation in the sector. Hwee Ching Ang, deputy CEO of the Experimental Drug Development Centre in Singapore, said rising healthcare demand in the Asia–Pacific region is driving greater interest and investment in innovation. With rapid growth and escalating demand, the region is becoming a new frontier for the life sciences sector.

“In response, the Singaporean government has long prioritised biomedical innovation to boost research output and attract talent,” he said. “Singapore has steadily invested in research and development for more than two decades, enhancing the financial environment through both domestic and international capital inflows into the biotech ecosystem.”

He added that Singapore is strengthening translational and clinical research capabilities and attracting multinational companies to establish regional headquarters and research centres.

As a result, more than 41 per cent of the world’s leading biopharmaceutical companies now have their regional headquarters in Singapore, making it the most innovative nation in Asia–Pacific. The country’s ecosystem comprises a diverse mix of multinational corporations, startups, government agencies, venture capital investors, and incubators.

Dr. Chang Liu, CEO and founder of ASK Health Asia, said that building a multi-layered health financing system can help improve access.

“There is a growing trend in Asia–Pacific towards multi-source healthcare financing to ensure better access to high-value treatments,” Liu said. “Evidence shows that traditional public funding mechanisms may be limited in scope and availability, creating delays or gaps in patient access.”

For example, Singapore has evolved from a savings-based model to a multi-source system, developing government-backed commercial health insurance schemes that now cover more than 70 per cent of the population.

Mainland China is working to build a multi-layered insurance framework with basic medical insurance at its core, supplemented by commercial insurance. It has also promoted public–private partnership models, now covering more than 12 per cent of the population.

In Taiwan, authorised agencies are exploring diversified financing mechanisms for high-value treatments not covered by national health insurance, including a dedicated cancer drug fund to ease patients’ financial burdens.

Japan, meanwhile, is advancing initiatives to strengthen its drug discovery capabilities through the Council of the Concept for Early Prevalence of Novel Drugs to Patients. These efforts aim to eliminate both drug lag and drug loss.

Specifically, Japan is establishing frameworks for first-in-human clinical trials, enhancing the role of core clinical research hospitals in drug development, promoting multi-regional clinical trials, supporting the development and career progression of clinical trial professionals, and encouraging overseas companies to conduct trials in Japan.

Takaaki Enoki, deputy director of the National Healthcare Policy Secretariat under the Japanese government, said, “To maintain Japan’s global leadership in drug discovery, we are building an ecosystem that supports academia and startups from early research to clinical application, with consistent policy and financial backing. This is also vital for ensuring national security.”

By reforming the structure of the pharmaceutical industry and improving the investment environment, Japan aims to create a sustainable system that enables continual, cyclical development of innovation and capital.

“At the same time, we will promote balanced policies over the medium and long term, considering the integration of general treatment and self-care models,” Enoki added.

Vietnam currently has nearly 95 per cent of its population covered by health insurance. However, despite achievements in healthcare financing, the country still faces a high level of out-of-pocket spending, which now exceeds 40 per cent of total healthcare expenditure – indicating that many individuals are still paying significantly for medical services beyond insurance coverage.

Le Thanh Long, deputy Prime Minister

Vietnam’s healthcare system is currently deeply affected by digital transformation and innovation. Science and technology are changing approaches to medical examination and treatment, disease prevention, scientific research, training, medical management, and people’s health management.

In recent times, digital transformation in healthcare has made significant progress. All medical facilities have deployed hospital information systems. Many have deployed e-health records, remote exam and treatment, electronic prescriptions, AI treatment support, and the use of robots.

However, digital transformation in healthcare still faces many issues which raise urgent requirements for innovation in leadership, direction, and strong implementation in public healthcare in the new era as directed by the general secretary.

With that spirit, the Politburo has recently issued important pillars in the form of various resolutions for national development. These resolutions, together with the Politburo’s resolutions in the health sector that are about to be issued, will create strong momentum and breakthroughs in healthcare.

David Duong, global primary healthcare director Harvard Medical School

Vietnam has made strides in policy. The country expands health insurance coverage to 93 per cent of the population, including a wide range of primary healthcare services, expanding primary healthcare services through a pilot family medicine model, and upgrading commune health stations to manage non-communicable diseases and provide patient-centred care. It also carried out training and retraining of health workers and investment in digital health, as well as issuing clinical guidelines for chronic diseases that emphasise hierarchy.

The country needs continued investment in policy implementation. Policy implementation needs support because of outdated healthcare staffing model. Many doctors at commune health stations are unqualified or inexperienced in chronic disease care. In particular, task sharing, competency-based training, and incentives are needed to retain healthcare workers in rural areas.

Supervision, support, and experience are insufficient to improve quality and implement clinical standards.

Local policies have not kept up with the times. National policies call for decentralisation, but this must be accompanied by changes and updates to local-level processes and procedures (for example diagnostic systems and sample transport systems). It should also overcome the loss of trust in the primary healthcare system. Patients often bypass primary healthcare to go directly to higher-level hospitals due to lack of trust in the services of commune health stations.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 24 July 2025 – Recently, DL Holdings Group (1709.HK) has entered into strategic cooperation agreements with ViaBTC, Asseto, and Rich Dragon Consultants, while actively advancing the tokenization of HK$500 million in assets for the DL Tower. These initiatives have sparked significant market attention, with the stock price surging over 70% in a single day. On July 23, DL Holdings issued a voluntary announcement on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, detailing its latest strategic plans and development roadmap for the digital finance sector.
Three-Phase Strategic Plan to Build a Comprehensive Digital Finance Ecosystem
DL Holdings’ digital finance development strategy will be implemented in three phases:
In the first phase, DL will establish a licensed virtual asset over-the-counter (VA OTC) and prime brokerage business. This will focus on providing compliant virtual asset trading services for institutions and ultra-high-net-worth clients, creating stable trading and clearing channels, and establishing it as the core revenue engine for the group’s digital finance operations.
In the second phase, the group plans to build an RWA tokenization and asset management platform. Leveraging its existing client resources and technological infrastructure — particularly its ultra-high-net-worth community and professional investor network — DL will tokenize real-world assets (RWA) to enhance liquidity and optimize asset management efficiency.
In the third phase, DL will construct a compliant cross-border digital asset fund ecosystem. The “International – Hong Kong” hybrid model will combine the advantages of open-market regulations with the needs of global investors. Leveraging top-tier quantitative trading teams and fund-of-funds (FoF) networks, the group aims to scale its assets under management (AUM) and lead the development of a globalized digital capital market.
Core Strengths Lay the Foundation for Growth
DL’s ambitious plans are backed by years of solid groundwork. As a compliant financial institution holding full licenses from the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (Types 1, 4, 6, and 9), Singapore’s MAS, and the Cayman Islands, DL has a first-mover advantage in cross-border regulatory adaptation. Its inclusion in the “Stock Connect” program has not only attracted more capital but also increased investor awareness of DL. Currently, the group has established a three-tier user matrix: a core circle of over 60 ultra-high-net-worth family offices, more than 1,000 professional investors active on DL Securities’ platform, and NeuralFin’s social platform targeting millions of mass users. This “pyramid” structure supports a full spectrum of services, from high-end asset trading to inclusive finance.
Notably, DL boasts strong technological and resource reserves. NeuralFin, a subsidiary of DL, has secured a strategic investment from Qraft, a top Asian FinTech company backed by SoftBank. In the Web3.0 space, DL has partnered with ViaBTC, Asseto, and other leading institutions for RWA technology platforms. With operational networks spanning Hong Kong SAR, Silicon Valley, Singapore, and other key markets, DL is shaping a cross-border ecosystem bridging traditional asset management and digital finance.
Looking Ahead: Accelerating the Implementation of Digital Finance Strategies
The market’s most pressing question—the timeline for execution—has also been addressed. DL revealed in its announcement that it will focus on three key tasks in the second half of the year:
1. Extending its existing Hong Kong SFC licenses to cover virtual assets, with approval expected by October 2025.
2. Applying for a virtual asset OTC license while preparing stablecoin use cases and pursuing stablecoin qualifications.
3. Closely monitoring the Hong Kong SFC’s policies on security token offerings (STOs) and RWA issuance to adjust business strategies accordingly.
“RWA and stablecoins are not just technological innovations but a transformative shift toward financial inclusivity” said Andy Chen, Chairman of DL Holdings and NeuralFin. “DL doesn’t ride trends; it pioneers them. We don’t fear change; we lead it. Because true wealth belongs to those who can see the future.”
From the tokenization of HK$500 million in DL Tower assets to the clear outline of its “three-Phase” strategy, DL is steadily navigating the Web3.0 wave with compliance as its anchor and technology as its oar. This confidence stems from its belief in Hong Kong’s vision to become a global Web3.0 hub. By adhering to principles of compliance, security, and foresight, DL is driving the next generation of financial infrastructure, pioneering digital capital markets and RWA tokenization to build a unique digital financial ecosystem. Moving forward, DL will continue to balance innovation with compliance, accelerating growth through organic expansion and strategic acquisitions to create long-term value for shareholders and partners in the Web3.0 era.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.