Trust, digital readiness and intention to use e-KYC Evidence from commercial banks in Vietnam

Abstract

This paper investigates the role of trust and simple enabling conditions in explaining intention to use Electronic Know Your Customer (e-KYC) among customers of commercial banks in Vietnam. We use crosssectional survey data from 638 adult customers of joint-stock commercial banks. Ordinary Least Squares and Ordered Probit models are estimated with robust standard errors and standard diagnostic checks. The results show that trust and daily internet use have large, statistically significant positive associations with intention, whereas smartphone ownership and VNeID linkage are individually weaker but jointly important as part of a broader set of facilitating conditions. These findings highlight trust and everyday digital habits as central levers for promoting e-KYC and suggest that policies which build trust and encourage regular online engagement can meaningfully support Vietnam’s digital banking and financial inclusion agenda.