Keeping the Global Investment Rhythm Alive from Vietnamese Roots

Mr. Kendrick Nguyen delivering remarks on innovation at President Trump's Mar-a-Lago home.

As a successful Vietnamese-American entrepreneur leading a pioneering platform like Republic, how has your Vietnamese heritage influenced your leadership style and your mission to “democratize” global investment?

I’ve carried Vietnam with me my whole life - not just as a passport detail, but as a foundation. Vietnamese heritage, to me as an American entrepreneur, is pride without entitlement: a quiet confidence that you can start over anywhere, learn fast, and keep moving when the odds don’t cooperate.

It’s the instinct to stay steady under pressure, do the unglamorous work, and rebuild again and again, because that’s what our families did. And it’s a moral compass: success isn’t about indulgence or ego; it’s about creating something that outlasts you, elevates the people who bet on you, and makes your family and community stronger.

That’s also where the “democratize investing” mission becomes personal. When you grow up around communities that are talented, such as immigrants, first-time founders, people outside the traditional networks - you see how access to capital is often gated by geography, pedigree, and connections. Republic exists to open those gates responsibly. I’m a lawyer by training, and we’ve built the platform with regulation and investor protection in mind, because real democratisation isn’t hype; it’s durable infrastructure.

Republic has been at the forefront of financial innovation (tokenization, crowdfunding). In your opinion, how can these technological trends help emerging markets like Vietnam “leapfrog” in the global digital economy?

Casual Republic team photo from summer event.

Emerging markets can leapfrog when they don’t try to copy, but build the new rails. Tokenization and modern digital capital markets can compress what used to take decades into a few years: issuance, compliance, onboarding, settlement, and secondary liquidity can become more programmable and more inclusive.

For Vietnam specifically, the opportunity is huge because the digital economy is already scaling fast - estimates put Vietnam’s digital economy at about $39B GMV in 2025, growing strongly year over year.

But the real unlock isn’t just technology; it’s trust and rules. Vietnam’s move toward a FinTech regulatory sandbox (Decree 94, effective July 1, 2025) is exactly the kind of step that helps innovation happen safely-test, learn, refine, then scale. If we do this right, Vietnam doesn’t have to wait for “Wall Street infrastructure” to arrive - it can build a version that’s mobile-first, compliance-first, and globally connected.

From your perspective as a global tech leader, what are the most significant strengths and challenges of the Vietnamese startup ecosystem today compared to other tech hubs in the world?

Vietnam’s biggest strength is the combination of talent + hunger, + speed. The founder's ambition is real, and the engineering base is deep. You also see strong momentum in areas like AI and digital services, supported by growing talent pools and enterprise adoption.

On the capital side, the market is maturing. For example, one widely cited local report put Vietnam’s innovation & private capital activity at about $2.3B across 141 deals in 2024 - not small, and importantly, it shows continued engagement even through tougher global cycles.

The challenges are also clear:

●Domestic and foreign venture capital can still be thin compared to the U.S./China, so great companies sometimes hit a ceiling.

●Regulatory clarity takes time, especially in FinTech and capital markets, though the sandbox direction is encouraging.

●Global go-to-market: Vietnam has world-class builders; the next step is more repeatable global distribution and brand-building.

From my view, Vietnam is past the “early chapter.” The next chapter is about building multi-generational companies-category leaders that can win regionally and globally.

Despite your success in the U.S., you have maintained a strong connection to your roots. Could you share your vision for fostering more capital flow and knowledge transfer between Silicon Valley and Vietnam in the coming years?

My vision is to make the bridge a real, not symbolic, ceremony, with more outcomes: capital deployed, products shipped, customers won, talent developed.

I think about it as three connected lanes:

Firstly, capital rails: Build compliant, transparent pathways for overseas Vietnamese and global investors to back Vietnamese startups-structures institutions can underwrite over time (clean governance, reporting, protections). The goal isn’t just “more money,” it’s better money: patient, repeatable, and scalable.

Secondly, operator leverage (execution upgrades): Pair Vietnam’s builders with battle-tested operators - not just Silicon Valley mentors, but global operators who’ve scaled distribution, enterprise sales, partnerships, and governance. Vietnam has world-class talent; the unlock is compressing the learning curve on go-to-market and scale.

Thirdly, two-way market access (customers + talent flow): Create real exchange loops-founders and engineers rotating between Vietnam and major hubs, and startups getting structured help entering new markets (U.S., Singapore, Europe, and increasingly the Gulf). Networks compound, and market access is a force multiplier.

And here’s the shift people underestimate: the Middle East is becoming a true venture capital centre, not just a source of capital, but a connector. Gulf investors are increasingly interested in the Far East, not just Silicon Valley, because they’re building diversified innovation economies and seeking high-growth tech with strong engineering DNA. Vietnam should be one of the most compelling endpoints on that map.

Vietnam is already building the policy muscle to support this evolution through fintech experimentation, modernised regulation, and a more ambitious innovation agenda. The next step is to connect that momentum to global capital and distribution infrastructure, so Vietnam isn’t “emerging” forever; it’s competing on the global stage.

On the occasion of the Lunar New Year 2026, what message or advice would you like to send to young Vietnamese entrepreneurs who aspire to bring Vietnamese intelligence to the global stage?

My message to young Vietnamese entrepreneurs is this: be fearless, but be disciplined. Dream globally, then earn it daily through craft, consistency, and the willingness to be uncomfortable.

Think bigger than your zip code. Vietnam has world-class talent. The only thing that’s ever limited us is permission-waiting for someone else to validate the ambition. Don’t. Built for the customer who could be anywhere. Communicate as you belong in any room. And when you don’t know something, learn fast-without ego.

Keep your instincts, but upgrade your standards. Listen to people who’ve been through the fire-operators, founders, customers-but never outsource your conviction. The world doesn’t reward perfection; it rewards momentum, courage, and adaptability.

And one more thing-something deeply Vietnamese: win, then share the win. Pull someone up. Open a door. Send the intro. Invest time in the next builder. That’s how you go from individual success to an ecosystem-and how Vietnam stops being “the next” anything and becomes a place the world can’t ignore.

Spring Festival of the Vietnamese community in 2026: Strengthening the bonds of overseas Vietnamese in Vancouver, Canada WVR - The Consulate General of Vietnam in Vancouver (Canada) organized the Community Spring Festival to celebrate the Year of the Horse, creating a gathering ...

Vietnamese Embassy in Austria hosts Homeland Spring: Embracing roots, fostering pride and aspirations WVR - On the evening of February 7, in Vienna, the Vietnamese Embassy in Austria solemnly organized the Homeland Spring program for the Year of ...