Cash vs. Card in Vietnam: What Every Traveler Needs to Know

If you’re coming to Vietnam for the first time, you don’t need to choose between cash and a card. You’ll want both.

Cards are widely useful in hotels, larger restaurants, supermarkets and other established businesses, especially in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and other major tourist destinations. But cash is still essential for street food, local markets, small restaurants, some transport and many smaller businesses.

The good news is that you don’t need to carry a large amount of cash with you from home. In most cases, the easiest approach is to use your card where it makes sense and keep enough Vietnamese dong (VND) with you for everyday spending.

Here’s what you should know about cards, cash, ATMs, currency exchange and QR payments in Vietnam before you travel.

No — so don’t rely on your card alone.

In major cities and tourist areas, you can use Visa and Mastercard in most hotels, larger restaurants, supermarkets, shopping malls and established businesses. You’ll also find card payments increasingly common in cafés and other places aimed at international visitors.

But once you move away from larger businesses, cash becomes much more important. Street food stalls, local markets, small family-run restaurants and some smaller businesses may accept cash only. The same applies in many rural areas and smaller towns.

A simple rule works well:

Use your card where it is convenient, but always keep some Vietnamese dong (VND) with you.

Where cards are usually the easiest option

• Hotels and larger resorts
• Shopping malls and supermarkets
• Larger restaurants and international chains
• Many cafés and established businesses
• Online bookings for flights, hotels and tours

Where you should expect to need cash

• Street food and small local restaurants
• Traditional markets and small shops
• Smaller businesses outside the main tourist areas
• Some entrance fees and local services
• Rural areas and smaller towns

You also don’t need to arrive in Vietnam carrying a large amount of cash. It’s usually more practical to withdraw or exchange money after arrival and keep a reasonable amount of VND for everyday expenses.

One more thing: some businesses add a card payment surcharge, particularly for international cards. If the final amount seems higher than expected, ask whether a card fee has been added before paying.

Visa and Mastercard are the safest choices for travelers. They are widely accepted in hotels, larger restaurants, supermarkets, shopping malls and other established businesses, particularly in Vietnam’s major cities and tourist areas.

American Express is accepted in some hotels and higher-end businesses, but you will encounter it less often. Discover acceptance is also more limited.

If you are traveling with only one card, bring a backup card and keep it separately from your main one. A card can be declined, blocked, lost or temporarily unusable — having a second option can save you a lot of trouble.

A few things to check before paying

• Check whether a card surcharge is added. Some businesses charge an additional fee for card payments, particularly for international cards.
• If the terminal offers to charge you in your home currency or Vietnamese dong, choose Vietnamese dong (VND) in most cases. This avoids the merchant or payment terminal applying its own currency conversion.
• Make sure your bank allows foreign transactions and that you know how to approve a payment if your bank requires additional verification.
• Keep some cash with you even when traveling with a card. Smaller businesses and places outside the main tourist areas may still accept cash only.

Your card will usually be most useful for larger purchases, while cash is still the simpler option for many everyday expenses.

Vietnamese dong (VND) is still the most useful form of cash for everyday spending. You’ll need it more often than you might expect, particularly at local restaurants, markets, street-food stalls and smaller businesses.

You don’t need to carry a large amount of cash at all times. Keep a reasonable amount of VND with you and replenish it when needed. ATMs are widely available in cities and tourist areas.

Keep some smaller notes

Large 500,000 VND notes are perfectly normal and widely used, but they are not always convenient for small purchases. A street-food vendor or small shop may not have enough change for a 500,000 VND note when you are buying something inexpensive.

It’s therefore useful to keep a mixture of denominations in your wallet, especially when you are heading to markets, using local services or traveling outside the major cities.

And when paying in cash, take a moment to check the change you receive. Vietnamese banknotes can look similar at a quick glance, particularly when you are unfamiliar with the currency.

Where should you exchange money?

For larger amounts, use a reputable bank or established currency-exchange counter. Gold shops are also commonly used for currency exchange in Vietnam, but it is worth choosing an established business rather than simply accepting the first rate you see.

You can exchange money at the airport if you need Vietnamese dong immediately after landing. However, airport exchange rates are not always the most competitive, so for larger amounts you may want to compare the rate with other reputable options in the city.

If you only need some cash for your first taxi, meal or other immediate expenses, convenience may be more important than getting the absolute best exchange rate.

For more information, see our guide to exchanging money in Vietnam.

If you spend time in Vietnam, you’ll quickly notice QR codes everywhere. Cafés, restaurants, shops, and even small vendors increasingly use them for payments.

For local customers, QR payments are extremely convenient. For foreign visitors, however, it can be less straightforward. Many Vietnamese QR payment systems are connected to local banks or payment apps, so having a QR code in front of you does not necessarily mean you can pay it with your foreign banking app.

Where cashless payments are common

You’ll often see cashless payments used at:

• Chain cafés and restaurants
• Convenience stores and supermarkets
• Hotels and larger businesses
• Grab rides and food delivery
• Many businesses in major cities

Some businesses also accept international cards directly, which is usually much simpler for tourists than trying to use a local QR payment system.

What about small local businesses?

This is where having cash is still useful.

A small restaurant, market stall or local shop may display a QR code prominently but still not offer a practical way for a foreign visitor to use it. In other places, cash may simply be the easiest option.

Don’t assume that a QR code means you can pay with your foreign card.

For most travelers, the simplest approach is to use Visa or Mastercard where they are accepted, keep some Vietnamese dong for everyday spending, and use apps such as Grab where available.

Vietnam is moving steadily toward cashless payments, but cash and cards are still the most practical combination for most foreign visitors.

ATMs are widely available in Vietnam, particularly in cities and tourist areas, so you usually don’t need to arrive with a large amount of Vietnamese dong.

For most travelers, bank-operated ATMs are the safest place to start. Fees, withdrawal limits and acceptance of foreign cards vary between banks and can change over time, so check the information shown on the ATM before confirming the transaction.

A few things to know before withdrawing cash

• Your own bank may charge a foreign withdrawal fee, in addition to any fee charged by the Vietnamese bank.
• ATM withdrawal limits vary. Some machines allow only a relatively small amount per transaction, while others offer higher limits.
• If the ATM offers currency conversion, choose to be charged in Vietnamese dong (VND) rather than allowing the ATM to convert the transaction into your home currency. The latter can involve an unfavorable exchange rate.
• Use ATMs attached to or located inside bank branches when possible, particularly if you are unsure about a standalone machine.
• Keep your card and cash secure after withdrawing, especially in busy areas.

You may encounter ATMs from banks such as Vietcombank, BIDV, Techcombank, Sacombank and other major Vietnamese banks. Rather than choosing a bank purely because of an old fee or withdrawal-limit list, check the current fee and limit displayed by the ATM.

If you need a larger amount of cash, you may have to try another ATM or make more than one withdrawal, depending on the limits of both the ATM and your own bank.

For currency exchange, see our separate guide to exchanging money in Vietnam.

You don’t need to overthink payments in Vietnam. A simple combination of one or two cards and some Vietnamese dong will cover most situations.

Before your trip:

• Bring a Visa or Mastercard, and ideally a second card as a backup.
• Keep some VND with you for street food, markets, small businesses and other places where cards may not be accepted.
• Check your bank’s fees for foreign transactions and ATM withdrawals before leaving home.
• When an ATM or card terminal offers currency conversion, choose VND rather than your home currency.
• Check for card surcharges before paying, particularly at smaller businesses.
• Don’t carry all your cash and cards in one place. Keep your backup card and larger amounts of cash separate from what you use during the day.
• If you plan to use Grab, online bookings or other apps, make sure you have mobile data available when you arrive. A Vietnam eSIM can make this much easier.

The goal isn’t to avoid cash or cards. Use each where it makes the most sense, and keep a backup option available.

Both.

For most travelers, there is no reason to choose one over the other. Use your card for hotels, larger restaurants, supermarkets and other businesses that accept international cards. Keep Vietnamese dong available for street food, markets, smaller businesses and situations where card payments simply aren’t an option.

You also don’t need to exchange or withdraw a large amount of money before your trip. Start with enough cash for your first expenses, then withdraw or exchange more when needed.

The simplest strategy is:

Card for convenience. Cash for flexibility. A second card as a backup.

Vietnam is becoming increasingly cashless, particularly in its larger cities, but cash is still very much part of everyday life. If you have both options available, you can adapt easily wherever you go.

If you're arriving at a busy Vietnamese airport and want to spend less time waiting in the immigration queue, you can also consider our Vietnam Airport Fast Track Service.