In today's digital era, where artificial intelligence and blockchain are driving waves of innovation, Web3 is evolving from an abstract, technical concept into a field rich with practical applications. In Vietnam, while Web3 remains a relatively nascent industry, its potential is undeniable.
As users increasingly demand personalized experiences and value digital assets, now is the optimal time for tech enterprises to explore, innovate and contribute to a new generation of products that meaningfully enhance user experience.
This vision is what inspired the founding of Ninety Eight. In this episode of Vietnam Innovators, Ms. Trần Thị Diễm Trinh, Project Lead at Dagora (Ninety Eight) with over six years of experience in the field, shared her insights on NFTs, market challenges and how to create inclusive, value-driven platforms.
From Beginner To Project Lead At Dagora, Ninety Eight
Though her academic background was in the social sciences and not technology, Ms. Trinh became involved with blockchain in 2016 - a time when knowledge about the field in Vietnam was still unclear. With no technical expertise, she leveraged her English skills and a strong belief that new frontiers favor those willing to learn.
She participated in international blockchain events, worked in marketing and content creation for global projects, and gradually advanced into business development leadership roles. What has kept her engaged for over six years is not merely the industry's promise, but its continuous evolution, which constantly challenges her to learn and adapt.
Yet, Ms. Trinh also acknowledges that like any other tech cycle, periods of rapid growth are inevitably followed by market corrections. During downtrends, projects lacking clear value propositions or sustainable business models are swiftly eliminated.
Thus, success in this field requires a deep conviction in the long-term utility of the platform. All the tech companies need to understand: without delivering real value to users, even the most cutting-edge technologies are destined for obsolescence.
NFTs: Personal Identity Markers In The Digital Age
Ms. Trinh makes a clear distinction between "collectible NFTs" and "utility NFTs." While NFTs became a global trend in 2021, she now sees a more sustainable path forward: transforming NFTs into verifiable digital certificates of ownership.
An NFT might serve as a digital ticket permanently recorded on the blockchain, signifying a person’s attendance at a concert, event, or listening party. For fans, it becomes a virtual “badge of honor”, a proof of presence and connection to the artist or community. For creators and organizers, NFTs enable transparent recognition of genuine supporters.
This opens up new models for loyalty programs and revenue generation. "Every transaction can be tracked. Artists can receive a fair share of proceeds over the lifecycle of their creations," Ms. Trinh noted, highlighting Dagora’s loyalty features. The more users understand this technology, the clearer its real-world applications become.
"Everyone is a fan of something," she emphasized. "What Ninety Eight is doing is turning that passion into valuable, interactive digital assets."
A Bridge To Web3
Ms. Trinh and the Ninety Eight team are focused on removing user barriers to Web3 adoption. As they continue to grow in the blockchain space, two strategic pillars remain at the heart of their development.
First, in terms of product and ecosystem design, Ninety Eight prioritizes user-friendliness. Their overarching goal is to create platforms that are intuitive, especially crucial when emerging technologies can feel intimidating to new users. Recently, they introduced Social Login in the U.S., allowing users to access Web3 with the same ease as logging into any mainstream digital platform.
Second, from a communications standpoint, strategic presence at the right events and at the right time is essential. Over the past few months, Ninety Eight has participated in numerous large-scale exhibitions and conferences, not only raising brand visibility but also enabling organic engagement and education. These soft-touch outreach efforts foster user interest without overwhelming them.
In brand collaborations, Ninety Eight serves as a conduit for deeper emotional bonds between companies and customers - beyond the product itself. Limited-edition digital collectibles or personalized digital gifts allow users to feel seen and valued. When customers feel appreciated, they naturally become ambassadors of the brand’s story.
One of Ninety Eight’s key missions is also to empower emerging artists to step into the intersection of creativity and technology. Many Vietnamese artists remain under the radar, not due to a lack of talent but because they lack the right platform.
Ninety Eight is committed to mobilizing every available resource to help these artists bring their work beyond the “comfort zone,” reach new audiences, and assert their creative identities on the digital stage. Ms. Trinh believes that such empowerment will enable them not only to sustain themselves professionally but also to expand their influence both locally and globally.
Resolving Key Barriers For Long-Term Growth
While the public is gradually becoming more familiar with blockchain, Ms. Trinh candidly acknowledges that skepticism remains. Many hesitate to engage due to fears of financial loss, scams, or the perception that the technology is too foreign or complex. Community education is thus a critical component of progress.
At the same time, she highlights another challenge: the lack of a clear legal framework. Many projects operate in uncertainty about their legal standing. To address this, Ninety Eight has been actively working with the Ho Chi Minh City Association of Communications and Electronics to seek legal counsel, aiming to foster transparent and sustainable development for Vietnamese businesses entering the Web3 space.
Ms. Trinh firmly believes that transparency is the cornerstone of a sustainable Web3 market.
She shared that shifting from game-based NFT collections to artist-driven projects has been a lengthy process requiring considerable user education. There have been moments of doubt. But looking at what the team has built, she still sees a promising future for blockchain in Vietnam.
The conversations she has had with artists and partner brands continue to reinforce her conviction that what she is building has meaning—and that these digital products, once launched, will offer complete and thoughtful experiences to users.