🇻🇳 Parades, pork, and crypto

Good afternoon from Ho Chi Minh City - where the coffee is still strong, the sun keeps shining, and business moves faster than a motorbike through rush hour traffic. Hope the week has treated you well.

Welcome back to Bánh Mì Brief - your sharp, weekly cut through Vietnam’s business buzz. We deliver the essential stories you need, minus the clutter and noise. Just crisp insights to keep you ahead in Vietnam’s fast-paced market.

This is Brief #2. Let‘s dive right in.

On September 2nd, Vietnam transformed Hanoi’s Ba Dinh Square into a sea of red for its 80th National Day, combining tradition and power for its largest parade since independence.

Across social media and in the streets, the message was unmistakable: Vietnam is self-confident, internationally connected, and keen to make this “birthday” a moment to show soft power as much as military muscle.

Tanks, missile launchers, and fighter jets thundered past tens of thousands of spectators, while 16,000 uniformed troops paid tribute to both historical roots and modern might. Major streets from Hanoi’s core to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum were closed for a display broadcast to millions across the nation.

Delegations from China, Russia, and Cuba were reported to be present, underscoring Vietnam’s enduring ties to its socialist and revolutionary allies, while trying to balance it’s opening towards international capital markets.

But the government didn’t stop at fireworks and marching bands. To keep the celebratory spirit sky-high, every single Vietnamese citizen - yes, from newborns to grandmas - received 100,000 VND (about $3.80) cash handout. The government apparently said the cash handout was “the price of one kilogram of pork”. To our Vegetarian and halal readers: Please respond and tell us what you did with your money!