Da Nang Partners with Tether in Bid to Become Southeast Asia’s Digital-Governance Hub

Tether, the largest company in the digital asset industry, and the People’s Committee of Da Nang City have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that could make the central Vietnamese city a real-world lab for blockchain-powered public services. The deal sets out a practical partnership: research and build mechanisms that bring blockchain, digital assets and peer-to-peer technologies into municipal systems, while keeping safety, transparency and international best practices in view.

Under the agreement, Tether will help Da Nang map out policy proposals and sandbox experiments for blockchain and digital-asset use, including the tokenization of real-world assets. The company will share experience from its global work to help the city design a framework that lines up with international standards such as those referenced under the Plan ₿ initiative. The emphasis is on careful, responsible experimentation rather than rushing systems into production.

Education is a big part of the plan. Tether and the city will team up with universities and research institutions across Vietnam to deliver training on blockchain, peer-to-peer tech and artificial intelligence. Specialized programs will target public servants and private teams so they can build and manage blockchain-based payment systems. The hope is that better-trained staff and clearer tools will expand financial inclusion and modernize how people and businesses transact in Da Nang.

“Da Nang is emerging as the future of digital governance in Southeast Asia with a clear vision for how technology can serve people and strengthen governance,” Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, said, framing the partnership as a natural fit for both sides. From the city’s perspective, Mr. Ho Ky Minh, Standing Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People’s Committee, described the MoU as “a concrete step in the city’s development strategy, positioning Da Nang as a gateway for investment and financial innovation in Vietnam.”

Advancing Responsible Use of Digital Assets

The attraction for Da Nang is obvious: the city already has strong digital infrastructure, a strategic location and a willingness to experiment. Working with a recognized stablecoin issuer and payments-focused firm could speed up learning, attract investment and give local regulators and developers a controlled environment to test new ideas.

Still, public-private projects that touch stablecoins or municipal payment rails bring predictable questions. Consumers and watchdogs will want clear legal guardrails, full transparency around pilots, and strong oversight. How those issues are handled will likely shape whether the experiments build trust and value, or provoke controversy.

For Tether, the MoU is part of a wider move into advisory roles, sandbox design and public-sector projects that explore practical uses of tokenization and peer-to-peer payments. For Da Nang, it’s a bet on learning by doing: pilot a few well-run projects, build local capacity, and then see what scales. If it works, other cities in the region will be watching closely. If it doesn’t, the lessons will still be useful, provided they’re shared openly.