Money in Vietnam (2026): Currency, ATMs, Cash vs Card & Tipping

Q: Which ATMs in Vietnam are free for foreign cards?

VPBank, TPBank and ACB usually don't charge a local withdrawal fee for foreign cards, and VPBank/TPBank allow up to about 10,000,000₫ per withdrawal. Most other banks (Vietcombank, BIDV, Agribank) charge around 22,000–55,000₫ per withdrawal, so seek out the fee-free ones and take out more at once.

Q: How much is the ATM fee in Vietnam?

Most Vietnamese banks charge foreign cards about 22,000–55,000₫ per withdrawal, on top of any fee your home bank adds. VPBank, TPBank and ACB are usually free. To minimise fees, use a fee-free ATM, withdraw the maximum at once, and decline the machine's offer to convert to your home currency.

Q: How much cash should I carry in Vietnam?

Keep about ₫1–2 million (roughly $40–80) on you for the day and leave the rest in your hotel safe. Carry small notes (10k–100k₫), as street vendors and taxis often can't change a 500,000₫ bill. Break big notes at convenience stores or malls.

Q: What's the best way to get Vietnamese đồng?

For most travellers, withdrawing from a fee-free ATM (VPBank or TPBank) with a debit card that has no foreign-transaction fee is the easiest, best-value option. If you exchange cash, use a bank or a licensed exchange counter that displays an authorised-exchange licence — since 9 February 2026, changing money at unlicensed gold shops or on the street is illegal and the cash can be confiscated. Bring clean, newer USD bills.

Q: Can I exchange money at gold shops in Vietnam?

It's risky and now mostly illegal. Since 9 February 2026 (Decree 340/2025/NĐ-CP), exchanging foreign currency at any unlicensed place — including most gold/jewellery shops — is banned, with fines up to 100 million₫ and possible confiscation of the cash. Only banks and licensed exchange counters (those showing an "authorised currency exchange" sign) are legal. The safe, simple option is to withdraw đồng from a fee-free ATM.

The Vietnamese đồng is full of zeros, ATMs charge fees (but some are free), and cash is still king on the street. Here’s exactly how to handle money in Da Nang and Vietnam.

Last updated & verified: June 2026

Money in Vietnam, in 30 seconds

Currency: the Vietnamese đồng (₫, VND). About 26,000 VND to 1 USD — so prices have lots of zeros. Watch the 20,000 vs 200,000 note mix-up.
Cash vs card: cards work in city hotels, malls and nicer restaurants; cash is essential for street food, markets, taxis and small shops.
ATMs: everywhere, but most charge a foreign-card fee (~22,000–55,000₫). VPBank, TPBank and ACB are usually fee-free — use those.
Carry small: keep only ₫1–2 million on you and lots of small notes — vendors struggle to change a 500,000₫ bill.
Tipping: not expected but appreciated — round up or 5–10% in restaurants, 20–50k₫/day for housekeeping, 50–200k₫ for guides.

In this guide
1. Money in Vietnam at a Glance
2. The Vietnamese Đồng: Notes & All Those Zeros
3. Cash vs Card: What to Use Where
4. ATMs in Da Nang: Fees, Limits & the Free Ones
5. Exchanging Cash: Where It’s Legal and Where Rates Are Best
6. How Much Cash Should You Carry?
7. Tipping in Vietnam: Who, When & How Much
8. Mobile Payments & Paying Like a Local
9. Keeping Your Money Safe
10. So, How Should You Handle Money in Da Nang?

Money in Vietnam trips up a lot of first-timers: the đồng has so many zeros that 20,000 and 200,000 notes get muddled, ATMs quietly add fees, and while cities take cards, the street runs on cash. Get it right and it’s simple — get it wrong and you’ll overpay at ATMs or come up short at a market stall. This is a complete, practical money guide for Da Nang and Vietnam: the currency and notes, cash versus card, which ATMs are fee-free, where to exchange, how much cash to carry, and how tipping works. Note: exchange rates and fees change; figures below are typical at the time of writing — check a live rate close to your trip. (Planning the rest? See our complete Da Nang travel guide and our guide to common scams to keep your money safe.)

A fan of Vietnamese đồng banknotes in various denominations — The Vietnamese đồng comes in notes up to 500,000₫. So many zeros — watch the 20,000 vs 200,000 mix-up. (© HuangWending18072009 / CC0)

1. Money in Vietnam at a Glance

In short: Vietnam uses the đồng, cards work in the cities but cash rules the street, and you’ll want a fee-free ATM card. Here’s the quick picture before the detail:

Question	Quick answer
Currency	Vietnamese đồng (₫ / VND)
Rough rate	~26,000₫ to 1 USD (check live)
Cash or card?	Both — cards in cities, cash on the street
Best ATMs	VPBank, TPBank, ACB (usually fee-free)
Typical ATM fee (others)	~22,000–55,000₫ per withdrawal
Cash to carry	₫1–2 million, plus small notes
Tipping	Not expected, but appreciated
USD accepted?	Sometimes, but pay in đồng for value

One-line summary: bring a fee-free debit card, withdraw đồng from VPBank/TPBank ATMs, keep small notes for the street, and you’re sorted.

2. The Vietnamese Đồng: Notes & All Those Zeros

Vietnam’s currency is the đồng (symbol ₫, code VND). Because one US dollar is worth around 26,000₫, everyday prices run into the tens and hundreds of thousands — a bowl of noodles might be 50,000₫, a nice dinner 300,000₫. It feels strange at first, but you adjust fast.

Notes come in these denominations (there are effectively no coins in daily use):

Note	Rough value (USD)	Colour / note
1,000–5,000₫	a few cents	small paper notes, low value
10,000₫	~$0.40	brown polymer
20,000₫	~$0.75	blue polymer ⚠️
50,000₫	~$1.90	pink polymer
100,000₫	~$3.80	green polymer
200,000₫	~$7.60	reddish-brown polymer ⚠️
500,000₫	~$19	dark blue polymer (highest)

The classic mix-up: the 20,000₫ (blue) and 500,000₫ (dark blue) can look similar in a hurry, and 20,000 vs 200,000 is easy to misread by a zero. Count carefully, especially when paying taxis or at night — handing over a 500,000 instead of a 20,000 is a 25× mistake.

3. Cash vs Card: What to Use Where

Da Nang is increasingly card-friendly, but Vietnam still runs largely on cash. The simple rule: carry both.

Cards work at: hotels and resorts, shopping malls (Vincom, Lotte Mart, GO!), mid-range and upmarket restaurants, convenience stores, and many cafés in the city. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted (UnionPay too).
Cash is needed for: street food, local markets (Hàn, Cồn), taxis and Grab-cash, small cafés and shops, entrance fees, and anything in the countryside.
Card surcharge: some smaller places add a 2–3% fee for card payment — ask first if it matters.

Best of both: put hotels, tours and big purchases on a card (ideally one with no foreign-transaction fee), and use cash for everything on the street.

4. ATMs in Da Nang: Fees, Limits & the Free Ones

ATMs are everywhere in Da Nang — at the airport, in malls, convenience stores and on busy streets — and withdrawing đồng is usually the easiest, best-value way to get cash. The catch is fees: most banks charge foreign cards a withdrawal fee of about 22,000–55,000₫ on top of whatever your home bank adds.

The trick is to use the banks that don’t charge that local fee:

Bank	Foreign-card fee	Per-withdrawal limit
VPBank	Usually free	up to ~10,000,000₫
TPBank	Usually free	up to ~10,000,000₫
ACB	Usually free	~5,000,000₫
Vietcombank / BIDV / Agribank	~22,000–55,000₫	~3,000,000–5,000,000₫

Withdraw the maximum your card allows in one go — fewer transactions means fewer flat fees.
Decline the ATM’s currency conversion (choose to be charged in đồng, not your home currency) to avoid a poor “DCC” exchange rate.
Tell your bank you’re travelling so the card isn’t blocked, and bring a backup card.

Pro move: use a debit card with no foreign-transaction fee, withdraw from a VPBank or TPBank ATM, take out a larger amount at once, and keep the rest in your hotel safe.

A traveller withdrawing cash from an ATM in Vietnam — ATMs are everywhere in Da Nang, but most charge a foreign-card fee — VPBank, TPBank and ACB are usually free. (© Donald Trung / CC BY-SA 4.0)

5. Exchanging Cash: Where It’s Legal and Where Rates Are Best

You can change cash too, though an ATM is usually just as good and more convenient. If you do exchange, where you do it now matters legally — not just for the rate.

New 2026 rule — don’t change money at gold shops: Since 9 February 2026 (Decree 340/2025/NĐ-CP), exchanging foreign currency anywhere that isn’t licensed — including most gold/jewellery shops, hotels without a permit, and street or hand-to-hand deals — is illegal. Fines run up to 100 million₫ and the cash involved can be confiscated. Swaps under about US$1,000 may only get a warning, but the money can still be seized — it isn’t worth the risk.

Legal & best: banks and licensed exchange counters that openly display an “authorised currency exchange” licence/sign. They give fair rates and a receipt.
Worse rates: hotels and especially the airport — fine for a small amount to get started, but don’t change a lot there.
Bring clean USD if you plan to exchange — crisp, newer bills get better rates; torn or marked notes may be refused.
Count before you leave the counter, and use a calculator — with all those zeros, mistakes (innocent or not) are easy.

Simplest plan: withdraw most of your đồng from a fee-free ATM (VPBank/TPBank) — always legal and usually the best value — and use a bank or licensed counter if you need to change cash. Skip the gold shops.

6. How Much Cash Should You Carry?

Enough for the day, not your whole trip. A good habit:

Keep ₫1–2 million (about $40–80) in your wallet for daily spending, and leave the rest in your hotel safe.
Carry small notes — 10,000, 20,000, 50,000 and 100,000₫ are the workhorses. Street vendors and taxis often can’t change a 500,000₫ bill.
Break big notes at convenience stores, malls or your hotel, so you always have small change for food stalls and tips.
Don’t flash cash — pull out what you need discreetly, especially in crowded markets.

Handy reference: a street meal is often 30,000–60,000₫, a coffee 30,000–50,000₫, a short Grab ride 30,000–60,000₫ — so a couple of 100,000₫ notes covers a typical outing.

7. Tipping in Vietnam: Who, When & How Much

Tipping is not traditional or expected in Vietnam, and you’ll never be made to feel bad for not tipping. That said, in tourist areas it’s increasingly appreciated, and a little goes a long way. Here’s a sensible guide:

Who	Typical tip
Restaurants	Not required; round up or 5–10% if you’re happy
Cafés / street food	Not expected; leave small change if you like
Hotel housekeeping	20,000–50,000₫ per day
Bellhop / porter	20,000–50,000₫
Tour guide	50,000–200,000₫ (by length & quality)
Driver	50,000–100,000₫
Spa / massage	Appreciated; 50,000–100,000₫ is generous

Good to know: some restaurants add a service charge (often 5%); if so, an extra tip isn’t necessary. Tip in đồng, in cash.

Paying with cash at a Da Nang street food stall — Cash is king on the street: keep small notes handy for food stalls, markets and taxis. (© RG72 / CC BY-SA 4.0)

8. Mobile Payments & Paying Like a Local

Vietnam loves mobile wallets — MoMo, ZaloPay and VietQR bank transfers are everywhere, and locals scan QR codes for almost everything. The catch for tourists: most require a Vietnamese bank account to set up, so they’re hard to use on a short visit.

For most travellers: stick to cash and card — you won’t need a local wallet for a normal trip.
Staying longer? If you open a Vietnamese bank account, MoMo and QR payments make daily life very convenient.
Contactless cards (tap to pay) increasingly work in city shops and malls, which is handy.

9. Keeping Your Money Safe

Vietnam is generally safe, but a few money habits save hassle:

Count your change and your notes — with so many zeros, short-changing (deliberate or accidental) is the most common money slip.
Agree taxi/Grab fares via the app or up front, and have small notes ready so you don’t overpay for lack of change.
Use ATMs attached to banks where possible, and shield your PIN.
Split your money: some in your wallet, some in the hotel safe, plus a backup card — so one loss isn’t a disaster.

For the specific tricks to watch — taxi meters, the “broken” card machine, overcharging and more — see our guide to common scams in Vietnam.

10. So, How Should You Handle Money in Da Nang?

Put simply: bring a fee-free debit card and a backup, withdraw đồng from VPBank or TPBank ATMs, carry ₫1–2 million in small notes for the street, and put hotels and big purchases on a card. Keep an eye on the zeros, decline ATM currency conversion, and you’ll barely think about money for the rest of your trip.

Tipping is a kindness, not an obligation — round up if you’re happy, and a small note for great service is always welcome. Do that, and money in Vietnam goes from confusing to easy. Plan the rest with our complete Da Nang travel guide.

Frequently asked questions

Q. What currency is used in Vietnam?

The Vietnamese đồng (symbol ₫, code VND). One US dollar is worth roughly 26,000₫, so prices carry a lot of zeros — a street meal might be 50,000₫ and a nice dinner 300,000₫. There are no coins in everyday use; you’ll deal entirely in notes from 1,000₫ up to 500,000₫.

Q. Should I use cash or card in Da Nang?

Both. Cards (Visa/Mastercard) work at hotels, malls, convenience stores and nicer restaurants in the city, but cash is essential for street food, markets, taxis and small shops. Carry a card for big purchases and enough đồng for daily street spending.

Q. Which ATMs in Vietnam are free for foreign cards?

VPBank, TPBank and ACB usually don’t charge a local withdrawal fee for foreign cards, and VPBank/TPBank allow up to about 10,000,000₫ per withdrawal. Most other banks (Vietcombank, BIDV, Agribank) charge around 22,000–55,000₫ per withdrawal, so seek out the fee-free ones and take out more at once.

Q. How much is the ATM fee in Vietnam?

Most Vietnamese banks charge foreign cards about 22,000–55,000₫ per withdrawal, on top of any fee your home bank adds. VPBank, TPBank and ACB are usually free. To minimise fees, use a fee-free ATM, withdraw the maximum at once, and decline the machine’s offer to convert to your home currency.

Q. How much cash should I carry in Vietnam?

Keep about ₫1–2 million (roughly $40–80) on you for the day and leave the rest in your hotel safe. Carry small notes (10k–100k₫), as street vendors and taxis often can’t change a 500,000₫ bill. Break big notes at convenience stores or malls.

Q. Is tipping expected in Vietnam?

No — tipping isn’t traditional or expected, and you won’t be pressured to tip. In tourist areas it’s appreciated though: round up or 5–10% in restaurants, 20,000–50,000₫ a day for hotel housekeeping, and 50,000–200,000₫ for a good tour guide. Tip in đồng, in cash.

Q. Can I use US dollars in Vietnam?

Sometimes — a few tourist-oriented hotels and tours quote or accept USD, but you’ll almost always get better value paying in đồng. Don’t rely on dollars for everyday spending; exchange a little or use an ATM, and keep USD only as a backup.

Q. What’s the best way to get Vietnamese đồng?

For most travellers, withdrawing from a fee-free ATM (VPBank or TPBank) with a debit card that has no foreign-transaction fee is the easiest, best-value option. If you exchange cash, use a bank or a licensed exchange counter that displays an authorised-exchange licence — since 9 February 2026, changing money at unlicensed gold shops or on the street is illegal and the cash can be confiscated. Bring clean, newer USD bills.

Q. Can I exchange money at gold shops in Vietnam?

It’s risky and now mostly illegal. Since 9 February 2026 (Decree 340/2025/NĐ-CP), exchanging foreign currency at any unlicensed place — including most gold/jewellery shops — is banned, with fines up to 100 million₫ and possible confiscation of the cash. Only banks and licensed exchange counters (those showing an “authorised currency exchange” sign) are legal. The safe, simple option is to withdraw đồng from a fee-free ATM.

Q. Why do the 20,000 and 200,000 dong notes look alike?

Both are polymer notes that can look similar at a glance, and it’s easy to misread one zero (20,000 vs 200,000). The 20,000₫ is blue and the 500,000₫ is dark blue, which also get confused in a hurry. Always count carefully when paying — handing over a 500,000 instead of a 20,000 is a 25× mistake.

Q. Do I need a mobile payment app in Vietnam?

Not for a normal trip. Locals use MoMo, ZaloPay and VietQR everywhere, but they generally require a Vietnamese bank account, so they’re impractical for short-stay tourists. Cash and card cover everything you’ll need; contactless tap-to-pay also works in many city shops.

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