Biometrics sprint

Agribank Loc Binh staff guide customers in updating their biometric data.

According to Circular No. 17 dated June 28, 2024, issued by the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) regulating the opening and use of payment accounts at payment service providers, from July 1, 2025, corporate and business customers are only allowed to withdraw money and conduct electronic payment transactions from their payment accounts after successfully verifying the identity documents and biometric information of their legal representatives. Therefore, all payment accounts registered under the name of organizations, including businesses, cooperatives, credit funds, and even individual business households, will have their electronic transactions temporarily suspended if the bank has not successfully verified the identity documents and biometric information of the legal representatives.

This is an important step to ensure safety and security in online payments and bank card payments, contributing to the prevention and combating of cybercrime involving fraud and property theft. To effectively implement this task, the State Bank of Vietnam, Region 5, has issued a document on ensuring safety and security of online payments and bank card payments to bank branches in the area. This document requires banks to promptly inform and request corporate and business customers to verify and match the identification documents and biometric information of their legal representatives, completing this process before July 1st as per regulations.

According to Circular No. 17 dated June 28, 2024, of the State Bank of Vietnam, biometric information includes facial data, fingerprints, irises, or other biological characteristics sufficient to uniquely identify an individual. Before July 1, 2025, customers must ensure that this data matches the chip-embedded citizen identity card or valid passport of their representative. Verification can be performed directly on the mobile application for customers already using mobile banking, or at the transaction counter for cases requiring direct verification.

At the Vietnam Agricultural and Rural Development Bank (Agribank) Lang Son branch, bank staff are actively assisting customers in updating their information these days. Ms. Dinh Thi Hong Giang, Deputy Director of Agribank Lang Son, stated: Agribank Lang Son is closely directing its branches and transaction offices to review organizations and businesses that have not yet completed biometric verification and identity document verification as required, in order to send notifications directly to customers. For customers who are too busy to visit the branch or transaction office, bank staff will go directly to their location to assist with installation and information updates. Currently, Agribank Lang Son has over 4,600 customers, and to date, over 80% have completed biometric verification and identity document verification.

Similar to Agribank Lang Son, commercial banks in the province are currently accelerating the implementation of biometric authentication updates for their customers. Mr. Do Van Hiep, Director of Saigon - Hanoi Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SHB) Lang Son Branch, stated: "From the beginning of June 2025, the branch instructed its staff to assist customers in updating their authentication information. To date, over 600 SHB Lang Son customers have updated their biometric information and personal documents, reaching over 30% of the total number of customers. We are currently continuing to promote information and awareness campaigns among customers; assigning staff to guide customers in completing the process through the bank's application."

Along with the two banks mentioned above, currently 13 commercial banks in the province have proactively sent reminder notifications to customers through appropriate methods.

Mr. Nguyen Hong Quynh, Director of Hung Dung Trading and Construction Co., Ltd., Loc Binh town, Loc Binh district, said: "I am also the legal representative of the company, so all bank account information and documents are in my name. Besides that, transactions and salary payments to employees are mainly done through the company's bank account. After learning about the new regulations from the State Bank of Vietnam through the Agribank Loc Binh branch staff, I went to the bank to update my information to avoid any disruption to transactions after July 1st. I found the procedure very quick and secure."

With only a few days left until the information verification deadline, organizations and businesses need to proactively update their information to protect their rights and avoid service disruptions. Early verification not only prevents the risk of account suspension but also acts as a "shield" for safer and more convenient transactions, especially in the context of increasingly sophisticated online fraud methods today.

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