🇻🇳

Remittance Corridor

Australia to Vietnam

AUD to VND

Route

Australia

Vietnam

Currency

AUD → VND

Avg cost: 4.5%

Speed

1-3 hours

Average transfer time

Diaspora

300,000+

In Australia

Market Size

AUD 1.3 billion annually

Avg Transaction

AUD 400

Growth Trend

Growing 5-7% YoY

Market Overview

The Australia-Vietnam corridor serves a well-established diaspora of over 300,000 Vietnamese-born Australians, concentrated in Sydney (Cabramatta, Bankstown) and Melbourne (Footscray, Springvale). Vietnam receives approximately USD 19 billion in annual remittances from all sources, with Australia being a significant contributor.

Estimated annual flows from Australia to Vietnam reach AUD 1.3 billion, with steady growth driven by family support, property investment, and business ties.

Cost Analysis

Transfer costs in the Australia-Vietnam corridor average approximately 4.5% for a AUD 200 transfer. The relatively high cost compared to corridors like India reflects lower competition and the additional complexity of the VND currency.

Cost breakdown by provider type:

  • Digital providers (Wise, OrbitRemit): 2% - 4%
  • Traditional MTOs: 5% - 9%
  • Banks: 8% - 14%

The VND is not freely convertible, which adds complexity and cost to FX conversions.

Transfer Speed

Bank deposits to major Vietnamese banks (Vietcombank, VietinBank, BIDV) typically complete within 1-3 hours. Cash pickup and home delivery services can take same day to next day depending on location.

Receiving Infrastructure

Vietnam's receiving infrastructure is developing rapidly:

  • Banking: Growing bank account penetration, though still lower in rural areas
  • Cash pickup: Important channel — many recipients prefer cash, especially in rural areas
  • Home delivery: Unique to this corridor — delivery agents bring cash to recipients' homes
  • Mobile wallets: MoMo and ZaloPay growing rapidly among younger demographics

Competitive Landscape

Approximately 20 AUSTRAC-registered providers actively serve this corridor. The market has distinct characteristics:

  • Community-based operators: Vietnamese-Australian owned MTOs have strong community trust
  • Cash-to-cash dominance: Higher proportion of cash-based transactions than other corridors
  • Relationship-driven: Personal relationships and community reputation matter significantly
  • Regional concentration: Most operators concentrated in Vietnamese-Australian community hubs

Opportunities for Operators

  • Digital transformation of traditionally cash-heavy corridor represents a major opportunity
  • MoMo wallet integration for younger Vietnamese recipients
  • Rising demand for business-to-business transfers as Vietnam's economy grows
  • Property investment remittances growing as Vietnamese diaspora invest in Vietnamese real estate

Popular Providers

Wise

AUSTRAC registered

OrbitRemit

AUSTRAC registered

Remitly

AUSTRAC registered

Western Union

AUSTRAC registered

MoneyGram

AUSTRAC registered

Receiving Methods

Bank depositCash pickupHome delivery

Regulatory Considerations

Vietnam's State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) regulates inbound remittances. Foreign currency transfers must be received through authorised credit institutions. Vietnam has been working to improve its AML/CFT framework following FATF mutual evaluation. Australian operators must apply standard AUSTRAC obligations. The corridor has seen increased regulatory attention due to growing volumes.

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