Short answer: In Da Nang you need a mix of cash in Vietnamese dong (VND) and one or two cards. Withdraw dong from a VPBank ATM, which is usually free for foreign cards and allows up to 10,000,000 VND per withdrawal, and always choose "VND" when a machine or card terminal offers to charge you in your home currency. Exchange cash only at banks or licensed exchange counters, keep small notes for street food, markets and parking, and use cards for hotels, malls and supermarkets. Figures below were checked November 2026.
This is the detailed money chapter of our Da Nang travel essentials guide: notes, ATMs, legal exchange, cards, QR codes and paying for rides.
Vietnamese dong basics: notes, rates and quick maths
Vietnam uses the dong (VND), and prices are almost always quoted in dong, often with the last three zeros dropped ("50k" means 50,000 VND). In early November 2026 one US dollar was worth roughly 25,600–26,000 VND: on 4 November Vietcombank was buying dollars at 25,580 VND and selling at 25,960 VND (VietnamPlus, checked November 2026).
An easy mental shortcut: 100,000 VND is a little under US$4, and 1,000,000 VND is a little under US$40. Drop four zeros and multiply by four to get a rough dollar figure.
The notes you will handle most are 500,000, 200,000, 100,000, 50,000, 20,000 and 10,000 VND (plastic polymer), plus small paper notes of 5,000 VND and below. Two pairs are easy to mix up, especially at night:
- 20,000 and 500,000 VND are both blue. Mixing them up means handing over about US$19 instead of under US$1.
- 10,000 and 200,000 VND are both brownish-orange.
Keep large notes in one pocket and small notes in another, and count the zeros before you pay. Handing over the wrong blue note is one of the most common money mistakes visitors make, and it ties in with the tricks in our Da Nang tourist scams guide.
Best ATMs in Da Nang for foreign cards
VPBank is the ATM to look for: reports from mid and late 2026 agree it charges foreign cards no fee and lets you take out up to 10,000,000 VND (about US$390) per withdrawal. Most other Vietnamese banks charge a flat fee or a percentage, and your home bank may add its own fee on top.
| Bank ATM | Reported fee for foreign cards | Reported max per withdrawal |
|---|---|---|
| VPBank | Free | 10,000,000 VND |
| ACB | Often free (some sources list a fee) | 3,000,000 VND |
| Techcombank | About 22,000 VND | 5,000,000 VND |
| Agribank | About 22,000–30,000 VND | 3,000,000–5,000,000 VND |
| Vietcombank | About 50,000–55,000 VND | 2,000,000–5,000,000 VND |
| BIDV | 3%, minimum 50,000 VND | 3,000,000 VND |
| TPBank | About 3.3% (no longer free since mid-2025) | 2,000,000–5,000,000 VND |
Sources: Base Da Nang (June 2026) and Fizen (updated 2 November 2026); checked November 2026. Fees can change and can differ between machines, so read the fee screen before you confirm.
Five ATM rules that save money
- Decline the conversion. If the screen offers to charge you in dollars, euros or won, that is dynamic currency conversion at the machine's own rate. Choose VND every time.
- Take the maximum in one go. With a flat fee, one 5,000,000 VND withdrawal costs the same as one 2,000,000 VND withdrawal.
- Use machines inside banks, malls or hotels during the day, so a swallowed card can be recovered from staff.
- Wait for both card and cash. Do not walk away until the machine has returned your card and the screen is back at the start.
- Carry two cards from different banks in case one is blocked. Tell your bank you are travelling.
Base Da Nang lists VPBank machines near Lotte Mart, in the An Thuong and My Khe Beach area, in central Hai Chau and at the airport (checked November 2026). The bank's own app and Google Maps show current locations; search "VPBank ATM" from where you are staying.
Where to exchange money in Da Nang (legally)
Exchange foreign cash only at a bank or at a licensed exchange agent that displays the sign "Đại lý thu đổi ngoại tệ" (licensed foreign currency exchange agent). Since Decree 340/2025 took effect on 9 February 2026, exchanging at unlicensed places can bring a warning for amounts under US$1,000 and fines of 10–20 million VND for US$1,000–10,000, and the money involved can be confiscated (VietnamNet, checked November 2026).
That matters because many older guides send visitors to gold and jewellery shops around Han Market for the best rate. Some of those shops are licensed agents and some are not. If you do not see the licence sign, walk on.
| Where | Good for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bank branches (Vietcombank, VietinBank, BIDV and others) | Larger amounts, clean US dollar notes | Bring your passport. Bank office hours, so plan it for a weekday. |
| VietinBank counter, Vincom Plaza, 910A Ngo Quyen, Son Tra | Evenings and weekends | Reported open 10:00–22:00 daily, rates on a screen. |
| Eximbank counter, Lotte Mart, 6 Nai Nam, Hai Chau | Combining with a supermarket run | Reported open 07:30–22:00 daily. |
| Da Nang International Airport counters | A small amount for your first taxi and SIM | Open for arrivals; rates are worse than in the city. |
Locations and hours from Gurutto Vietnam (January 2026); checked November 2026. Confirm hours on Google Maps before you go.
Bring crisp, undamaged notes: torn or marked foreign bills can be refused or get a lower rate.
Cash or card: what works where
Cards (Visa and Mastercard) work in hotels, malls, supermarkets, chain cafés and most mid-range and upmarket restaurants. Cash is still expected at street-food stalls, local markets, small family shops, motorbike parking and many small tour and transport operators.
- Markets: Han Market, Con Market and the night markets are cash places, and small notes make bargaining easier. See our Han Market guide for what to buy.
- Surcharges: some smaller hotels and shops add a fee for card payments. Ask first, and compare it with paying in cash.
- Phone wallets: Apple Pay and Google Pay work on contactless terminals that accept your card, mostly in malls, supermarkets and chains.
As with ATMs, if a card terminal shows your home currency, ask the cashier to charge you in VND.
QR code payments for visitors
QR codes are everywhere in Da Nang, from street stalls to taxis, but most of them are VietQR bank-transfer codes that need a Vietnamese bank app. Visitors from a few countries can now scan many of them with their home apps; everyone else should plan on cash or card.
- China, South Korea, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Singapore: cross-border QR links let visitors pay with apps from home, such as Alipay and WeChat Pay for China, at merchants on the network (Viet Nam News, 28 September 2026; checked November 2026).
- Other nationalities: the VNPAY app can be linked to a foreign Visa, Mastercard or JCB card with your passport and phone number, and works at VNPAY-QR merchants. Your card's foreign transaction fee still applies (Fizen, checked November 2026). Check the current sign-up rules in the app before relying on it.
- MoMo and ZaloPay: popular with locals, but they need a Vietnamese bank account or card, so they are realistic only for people living here long term.
Paying for rides, tours and transfers
Grab lets you pay by card in the app or in cash to the driver, and paying in the app avoids any argument about change. Metered taxis usually want cash, so carry some 50,000 and 100,000 VND notes. Our Grab vs taxi vs private car comparison covers airport fares and which option suits which arrival.
If you land late with no dong at all, a pre-booked private car removes the problem. With our Da Nang airport transfer the fixed price is per car (from $8 to city hotels under 8 km in a 5-seat car), and you pay the driver at the end of the ride in cash (VND or USD) or by bank transfer, so you can stop at an ATM on the way if you need one.
How much cash to carry, and other practical rules
Carry enough dong in small and mid-size notes for the day's street food, coffee, markets and short rides, top it up from a VPBank ATM every few days, and put hotels, malls and bigger bills on a card. For daily budgets by travel style, see our Da Nang cost per day guide.
- Arriving: declare cash above US$5,000 (or the equivalent) or above 15,000,000 VND at customs when you enter (State Bank rules as summarised by Tan Van Lang, checked November 2026). Fines for undeclared cash rose under a decree that took effect on 1 July 2026.
- Leaving: changing dong back is harder and the rates are poor, so spend it down in your last days. Keep a little for the taxi to the airport and a last coffee.
- Safety: carry only the day's cash, leave the rest in the hotel safe, and keep your phone and wallet away from the road side when walking, since bag snatching from motorbikes happens.
- Your first day: our Da Nang arrival checklist puts the ATM stop, the SIM card and the ride to your hotel in the right order. For data, see our SIM card and eSIM guide.
FAQ
Can I use US dollars in Da Nang?
Some hotels, tour operators and transfer companies accept US dollars, but shops, restaurants and markets price everything in dong and expect dong. Plan to pay in VND day to day and keep dollars as a backup.
Which ATM is free in Da Nang?
VPBank ATMs are reported to charge foreign cards no fee, with up to 10,000,000 VND per withdrawal (checked November 2026). Your home bank may still charge its own foreign ATM fee.
Is it legal to exchange money at gold shops in Da Nang?
Only if the shop is a licensed exchange agent and shows the "Đại lý thu đổi ngoại tệ" sign. Since February 2026, exchanging at unlicensed places can bring a warning or a fine and confiscation of the money, so banks and licensed counters are the safe choice.
Should I exchange money at Da Nang Airport?
Change only a small amount there, or use an ATM in the arrivals hall, because airport rates are worse than in the city. Exchange the rest at a bank or licensed counter in town.
Can tourists use QR code payments in Vietnam?
Visitors from China, South Korea, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Singapore can pay at many shops with their home apps. Others can try VNPAY linked to a foreign card, but should not count on QR payments for daily spending.