Vietnam Users Spend More Time, Demand Faster Experiences as App Sessions Surge in 2026

Leading mobile measurement and analytics company Adjust has released its latest Mobile App Trends Spotlight Edition: Vietnam 2026, offering insights on the shifting consumer behaviours and surging app engagement in one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic mobile markets. The report examines that gaming, finance and entertainment remain the key verticals driving Vietnam’s rising dominance in the region, with entertainment emerging as the one of the fastest segments. In Q1 2026, entertainment app installs grew 32% YoY with sessions up 76%, signaling rising consumer appetite for mobile-first content experiences. User engagement also deepened, with entertainment session lengths reached 24.46 minutes, 12% increase from 2025.

Gaming app sessions also climbed 15% year-on-year (YoY), significantly outperforming both global (+4%) and APAC (+5%) benchmarks, while finance app installs rose 21% YoY.

.The report also examines the structural shifts reshaping how Vietnamese users discover, adopt, and spend time in apps, from the rapid rise of short drama content and hybrid-casual gaming to the consolidation of super apps in financial services. It also provides actionable benchmarks for marketers navigating an increasingly competitive landscape.

“Vietnam stands out as a market where user expectations for speed and simplicity in digital experiences are extremely high. QR payments online and offline have become the norm, and people increasingly expect app-based services. Success is driven by how well your apps fits into daily digital behavior and local user habits.” said Huy Vu, Senior Growth Lead at Adjust.

Breaking Down the Numbers

Adjust’s Vietnam 2026 Spotlight surfaces distinct trends in user behaviour and app performance across three of the market's highest-growth verticals:

• Entertainment app installs grew 32% YoY in Q1 2026, with sessions up 76%. This builds on strong momentum from 2025, where July was a breakout month, with installs 21% above the annual average and sessions up 33%. Heading into 2026, average video streaming session lengths climbed from 19.65 minutes in 2025 to 23.95 minutes in Q1 2026, while music and audio app installs grew 9% YoY.

• Gaming app sessions climbed 15% YoY in Q1 2026, surpassing global (+4%) and APAC (+5%) benchmarks. Installs peaked in June 2025 (+45% above annual average) and carried momentum into 2026. Average session length grew from 28.32 minutes in 2024 to 32.88 minutes in Q1 2026, driven by a shift toward hybrid casual and midcore titles. Strategy app sessions surged 282% YoY in Q1 2026.

• Finance app installs rose 21% YoY in Q1 2026, outpacing the 13% growth seen across INSEA. December 2025 was the standout month, with installs 38% above the annual average. By subvertical, stock trading installs grew 36% YoY and crypto installs 28% YoY in Q1 2026.

These findings underscore Vietnam’s continued transformation into a sophisticated, mobile-first economy. With expanding infrastructure, increasingly complex user journeys, and an evolving regulatory environment, including Decree 147, Vietnam's new framework governing internet and social media services, marketers who prioritise precise measurement and data-driven decision-making are best positioned to capture the opportunity.

The full report is available here. To learn more about how Adjust helps marketers measure and grow their apps, visit https://www.adjust.com.