Shoppers in Bắc Ninh make payments by scanning QR codes. — Photo courtesy

BẮC NINH — The northern province of Bắc Ninh is accelerating its push toward online shopping and cashless payments, as digital commerce and QR-based transactions gain ground nationwide.

At an event this week at Vincom Bắc Ninh shopping centre, provincial authorities promoted online retail and non-cash payment methods as part of activities marking the National Digital Transformation Day.

Officials said the initiative aims to shift consumer behaviour toward safer and more modern payment practices while strengthening links between businesses, banks, financial institutions, e-commerce platforms and logistics providers.

According to Nguyễn Văn Phương, Deputy Director of Bắc Ninh's Department of Industry and Trade, national e-commerce revenue in 2024 was estimated at more than US$25 billion, up about 20 per cent year-by-year.

Cashless payments expanded even faster, with more than 17.7 billion non-cash transactions recorded nationwide last year. About 30 million e-wallets were active, while QR-code payments more than doubled in volume and rose by 97 per cent in value.

In Bắc Ninh, a province of around 3.6 million people, officials said digital consumption has already reached national targets. Between 55 and 60 per cent of its residents shop online, while roughly half of all transactions are now conducted without cash, mainly via e-wallets, payment gateways and QR codes.

The Department has supported businesses in building e-commerce websites, listing products on major online marketplaces and rolling out cashless payment systems at markets, supermarkets and shopping centres.

Staff at Agribank's branch in Bắc Ninh help residents open accounts and set up QR codes for cashless payments.

All electricity, water and telecommunications service providers in the province have adopted electronic payments, while most small traders and household businesses now accept QR-based and mobile banking payments.

A provincial Department of Science and Technology representative said developing IT and telecommunications infrastructure would be central to the next phase of digital transformation, particularly in e-commerce and cashless payments.

The department will work with other agencies to focus on three priorities: upgrading and synchronising digital infrastructure, building and operating shared data platforms and digital applications for e-commerce and strengthening digital capacity among businesses, residents and public officials.

Nguyễn Đình Hiếu, Development Director of the Chợ Bắc Ninh e-commerce platform, said the platform focuses on two core segments – online retail and online classified listings – supporting local craft-based industries and a more transparent real estate market.

He cited Phù Lãng pottery as a case in point. Through digitalisation and cross-border connectivity, products from the traditional craft village have secured direct orders from the US, opening a more sustainable export channel without relying on intermediaries.

Chợ Bắc Ninh has integrated cashless payment tools such as e-wallets and QR codes across its platform, allowing transactions to be completed quickly and securely, Hiếu said.

He called for further policy support in logistics and digital marketing for OCOP products and craft villages, as well as clearer and more accessible public data, particularly on planning and certified local products, to help platforms provide more accurate market information to stakeholders. — VNS