Visa and Vui App Collaborate to Revolutionize Earned Wage Access in Vietnam
05/06/2024
Visa, a global leader in digital payments, has signed an agreement with Nano Technologies, a pioneering Earned Wage Access (EWA) startup which owns the Vui App. Vui App facilitates EWA, also known as on-demand or instant pay, an innovative payment method allowing employees to access a portion of their earnings before their usual payday. Visa’s collaboration with Nano Technologies represents its inaugural entry in the Vietnamese market towards the development of payment solutions through the EWA platform in Vietnam.
In Vietnam, many middle- and low-income employees are excluded from traditional banking services which makes them more vulnerable to predatory lending. A survey of 3,000 employees in Vietnam, conducted by Vietnam’s Policy and Law Department in 20231, found that 17% of the labor force borrow regularly due to low funds between paydays. By enabling access to pay on demand for employees, EWA provides an alternative to traditional payday loans or cash advances without incurring high-interest rates or hefty fees. The EWA model will create flexibility in how businesses offer employees ease of access to their earned wages, which will drive financial inclusion and digitalization in Vietnam.
Vui App has been operating in Vietnam for four years with an extensive client portfolio across various industries including retail, garments, plastics, and wood manufacturing. By linking to employers’ HR management systems, Vui App allows employers to provide their employee users with access to accrued employee wages, not future earnings. Since the launch of Vui App, more than 300,000 employees have accessed their accrued wages, providing them with greater access and control over their finances, and helping them manage bills and unexpected expenses between paydays.
Ms. Dung Dang, Visa Country Manager for Vietnam and Laos, said: "We are delighted to collaborate with Nano Technologies which reaffirms Visa's commitment to supporting Vietnam’s digital transformation journey towards a cashless society. Innovation is at the heart of Visa and we enable growth by working to make payments and money movement safe, fast, reliable and universal. Visa forms strategic partnerships with fintechs and startups to foster growth of the digital payments industry and provide the optimal solutions for businesses and consumers in Vietnam. We are excited about the transformative potential of this collaboration and its positive impact in promoting financial inclusion. This collaboration will usher in a new era of real-time, on-demand wage access for employees, facilitated by Visa's advanced digital payment capabilities.”
Mr. Dzung Dang, CEO of Nano Technologies, expressed excitement about the association, stating: "The EWA model has been the flagship fintech innovation in the last four years in Vietnam. We are delighted to collaborate with Visa and look forward to bringing the Earned Wage Access (EWA) model to a wider customer base, including businesses and millions of employee users. This partnership holds immense potential to deliver game-changing impact for our banking partners in payroll banking services and further drive financial inclusion in Vietnam."
In line with Visa's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, Visa supports Nano Technologies in its efforts to provide financial education through platforms such as Practical Money Skills and Practical Business Skills, which teach people of all ages financial literacy and basic business skills. This commitment highlights Visa's dedication to equipping individuals with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate the digital financial landscape effectively.
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1 Research by Policy & Law Department, Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, and Institute for Workers and Trade Unions, 2023
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About Visa
Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.
About Vui App
Vui App, developed by Nano Technologies Vietnam, is a pioneering Earned Wage Access (EWA) platform. This innovation allows employees to access financial resources through supportive employers as a valuable benefit. Through partnerships with banks and financial institutions such as Visa, Vui App aims to expand its user base and enhance financial accessibility nationwide, promoting financial inclusion and empowerment.