Hanoi, June 1 -- Vietnam's digital economy contributed an estimated 14.02% of GDP in 2025, equivalent to approximately 72.1 billion USD, the Ministry of Science and Technology revealed at its regular press briefing on June 1. The ministry reported that hi-tech exports accounted for 50.76% of the country's total merchandise exports in the first quarter of 2026. Notably, Vietnam rose to 50th place in the 2026 Global Startup Ecosystem Index published by StartupBlink, climbing five positions from the previous year and achieving its highest ranking to date. The innovation ecosystem continued to expand, with 963 science and technology enterprises, 20 science and technology trading platforms, and 37 innovation centres operating across 26 of the ...