A session at Google Apps Summit 2025 in HCM City. — Photo Courtesy of Google
Vietnam is currently leading the Asia-Pacific region (Apac) with 65 per cent growth in app and gaming in-app revenue, the fastest rate in the region, according to data released by AppMagic at the Google Apps Summit 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City.
The data underlined that local developer talent has achieved immense global reach. Vietnamese apps and games were downloaded more than six billion times in 2024, with the vast majority, around 5.7 billion, coming from users abroad.
That translates to nearly 12,000 downloads of Vietnamese-developed apps every minute. The Google Play ecosystem is a key contributor to Vietnam’s digital export economy, generating more than VND 2 trillion (USD 75.9 million) in revenue from overseas consumers on Google Play, while enabling the creation of over 490,000 direct, indirect and spillover jobs, including original equipment manufacturing roles.
“Vietnam is not just an ‘emerging market’, it is a global app powerhouse. The immense export revenue achieved by local developers is proof of the incredible talent here,” said Marc Woo, managing director, Google Vietnam.
On Wednesday, Google concluded its first regional Google Apps Summit 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City. For the first time, the company combined its three regional events, Playtime, Think Apps and Apps Summit, into a single two-day experience, bringing together more than 700 top developers and executives from Southeast Asia, India, China, Korea, Australia and other markets across Apac to Vietnam.
Speakers at the summit said the global app economy is projected to reach USD 750 billion by 2030. Leading this expansion is the Asia-Pacific region, which stands as the largest and fastest-growing global hub for mobile application revenue and installs. This rapid growth is being driven by a fourfold increase in downloads over the past five years, largely powered by emerging markets such as Vietnam.
During the event, Google unveiled its top 10 tips for app development success in Apac. One clear theme was accelerated artificial intelligence adoption, with 90 per cent of global game developers now using AI in their workflows. Developers using generative AI tools such as the Gemini API and Google AI Studio for non-core tasks, including code reviews and asset testing, are saving significant time on complex development work, in some cases up to 40 per cent, such as for Indian e-learning platform Entri.
“The future of the app economy is built on intelligent, personalised experiences, and Vietnam is leading this charge. We hope the top 10 tips will help unlock the potential of developers across the region. Our focus is clear: equipping developers with the Google AI stack to accelerate creativity and development, meet the demands of Gen Z users and drive sustainable growth through hybrid monetisation models,” said Aditya Swamy, managing director, Google Play.
The summit also showcased key regional success stories across both content and productivity.
Underscoring its long-term investment in the region, Google announced the Google Play Apps Accelerator, a new 12-week mentorship programme for early-stage, high-potential app companies, alongside existing programmes such as Game Design Class and App Design with AI Workshop.
A report from TikTok and Sensor Tower forecasts that Vietnam's gaming industry revenue will reach USD 1.66 billion this year.
A Statista report showed that the Vietnamese gaming market is expected to reach USD 2.42 billion by 2029, with an average annual growth rate of nearly 10 per cent, said Le Quang Tu Do, director of the Authority of Broadcasting and Electronic Information.
The Vietnamese gaming industry has moved beyond being a mere outsourcing hub for foreign countries to developing its own products, with substantial room for further growth, he added.
The authority is currently collaborating with the Copyright Office of Vietnam to study the inclusion of online games and esports in the National Strategy for the Development of Vietnamese Cultural Industries by 2030, with a vision to 2045, Do noted.
