Concentration of transaction value in digital payments: Transaction-level evidence from Viet Nam

DONG THI HONG NGOC

Email: [email protected]

Thai Nguyen University of Economics and Business Administration

Abstract

The study analyzes the concentration of transaction value among digital payment users in Viet Nam using transaction-level data. Focusing on expenditure distribution rather than segmentation, the analysis examines whether behavioral differences lead to economically meaningful disparities in value contribution. Using Lorenz curve and Gini coefficient analysis combined with behavior-based grouping, the results reveal a high concentration of transaction value, with a small share of users accounting for most payments. Group-level comparisons indicate that this divergence is driven mainly by differences in transaction frequency and cumulative expenditure rather than recency. The findings provide transaction-level evidence of pronounced value concentration and highlight the need for distribution-based, user-level analysis when evaluating the economic impact of digital payment systems in emerging economies.

Keywords: Digital payments, expenditure distribution, transaction value concentration, Viet Nam

(This article was published in the Vietnam Economic&Financial Review, Vol 2, Issue 2, April 2026)

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