OKX Ventures and HashKey Capital are backing a new Vietnam-based crypto exchange as the country accelerates efforts to bring one of the world’s most active retail crypto markets under formal regulation.
Vietnam Prosperity Crypto Asset Exchange (CAEX) announced Friday that the two investment firms will join as strategic partners and shareholders alongside founding stakeholders VPBank Securities (VPBankS) and digital identity technology company LynkiD.
The investment is designed to strengthen CAEX’s financial position as it prepares to participate in Vietnam’s upcoming pilot program for regulated cryptocurrency exchanges.
According to a statement shared with a crypto media outlet, the funding will help CAEX meet the government’s minimum charter capital requirement of 10 trillion Vietnamese dong, equivalent to roughly $380 million. This threshold is a key eligibility condition for exchanges seeking to operate under Vietnam’s crypto trading pilot program introduced through Resolution 05/2025.
With the new investment, CAEX’s capital base will reach the required VND 10 trillion level, positioning the platform to apply for participation in the pilot regime.
The initiative is expected to grant licenses to a limited number of domestic exchanges as authorities work to establish oversight of digital asset trading.
The development comes as Vietnam’s Digital Technology Industry Law, which took effect earlier this year, formally recognized crypto assets within the country’s legal framework. The legislation aims to lay the foundation for licensing, regulatory oversight, and industry incentives while encouraging innovation in blockchain technology.
Vietnamese regulators are now seeking to shift crypto trading activity toward domestic platforms through controlled pilot programs.
Officials hope the move will strengthen financial oversight, reduce reliance on offshore exchanges, and improve compliance with global anti-money-laundering standards.
If approved for the program, CAEX could emerge as one of the first licensed crypto exchanges operating under Vietnam’s evolving regulatory framework, supported by international investors and local financial institutions.
