According to the Directive, on December 30, 2016, PM issued the Decision No 2545/QD-TTg approving the scheme on development of non-cash payment in Viet Nam from 2016 to 2020. After nearly four years of implementing this decision, non-cash payment has gained popularity in Viet Nam; however, it still accounts for a low rate on the total means of payment.

To further promote non-cash payment, electronic payments and achieve goals set in Decision No 2545/QD-TTg, especially amid COVID-19. The Prime Minister requested the ministries, State agencies and local authorities to proactively and urgently carry out the main tasks assigned in Decision No 2545/QD-TTg and the Government's resolutions.

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The Prime Minister requested that, before July 1, 2020, responsible ministries must complete a number of tasks as following:

The Ministry of Industry and Trade must complete mechanisms and policies to encourage retailers and service providers to accept electronic payment; encourage electronic payment in e-commerce. The Ministry of Finance needs to provide specific guidance on financial mechanisms of administrative organisations and public non-business agencies in the payment of non-cash payment service charges to credit institutions and intermediary payment institutions to ensure the policy's feasibility.

The Ministry of Health will direct hospitals to coordinate with credit institutions and intermediaries to deploy non-cash payment method for medical expense collection.

The Ministry of Education and Training direct schools to coordinate with credit institutions and payment intermediaries to collect education service charges by non-cash payment method; develop, standardise databases, upgrade technical infrastructure to share information with credit institutions and payment intermediaries in order to collect educational service expenses by electronic payment.

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and Viet Nam Social Security will develop and issue guidelines, standards, and roadmap for standardisation of data and information on pension recipients and beneficiaries of social insurance and social security regimes in order to connect, share information with credit institutions, payment intermediaries to pay social security regimes.

The Ministry of Public Security will review, amend and supply regulations on ensuring security, safety, detect, prevent and handle violations of the law in electronic payment; preside the construction of a database to collect fines for traffic violations; connecting and sharing information on fine collection with the State Treasury, credit institutions and related agencies; use of non-cash payment in collecting fines.

The Ministry of Transport will research and issue policies to encourage the development of multi-purpose, multi-function, contactless and non-physical cards to collect tolls, buy train and car tickets, etc.