Viet Nam unveils first domestically designed security chip

The launch ceremony was attended by General Phan Van Giang, Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense, alongside representatives of ministries, government agencies, research institutes and technology enterprises.

For more than 80 years, Viet Nam's cipher sector has developed and mastered software-based cryptographic algorithms to safeguard State secrets. However, increasing cybersecurity risks associated with reliance on imported semiconductor components have prompted the need to integrate national cryptographic algorithms directly into hardware.

Under the cooperation framework, M2, a unit of the Government Cipher Committee, is responsible for developing security requirements, cryptographic algorithms and evaluation criteria, while Viettel's Semiconductor Center undertakes chip design and development.

The VGC v1.0 chip has a package size of 10 x 10 mm, incorporating 300 million transistors and is manufactured using 28-nanometer CMOS technology. Technical tests indicate that its data encryption and decryption performance is approximately 15 times faster than that of software-based solutions performing equivalent functions.

The development team has also introduced security measures to protect chip designs before they are transferred to manufacturing facilities, helping prevent information leakage and reverse engineering.

The first batch of VGC v1.0 chips successfully passed technical testing in the first quarter of 2026 and obtained certification for deployment in socio-economic applications.

Addressing the ceremony, General Phan Van Giang emphasized the strategic importance of semiconductor technology, describing chips as the "heart" of digital devices and cryptography as the "shield" safeguarding information.

"Without mastering chips, it is difficult to fully master cryptography. And without mastering cryptography, it is difficult to firmly safeguard digital sovereignty and protect the Fatherland," he said.

Phan stressed that mastering secure semiconductor technologies is not simply a scientific and technological undertaking but also a political mission of strategic significance.

"We may start behind others, but we will not move slowly. We move forward to catch up and surpass," he affirmed.

At the event, the Government Cipher Committee and Viettel signed a cooperation agreement covering four key areas: advancing VGC v1.0 towards mass production; developing multi-core secure semiconductor platforms; training specialists in chip design and hardware security; and testing and evaluating products before their deployment.

Combined with Viettel's high-tech semiconductor fabrication plant currently under construction in Hoa Lac, the partnership is expected to strengthen Viet Nam's capabilities throughout the semiconductor value chain, encompassing chip design, manufacturing and packaging.

The initiative is also expected to enhance supply chain security, reduce dependence on foreign technologies and lay the groundwork for the development of a self-reliant domestic semiconductor ecosystem./.