Exchange Rubles for Vietnamese Dong in Ho Chi Minh City

Want to exchange rubles for Vietnamese dong in Ho Chi Minh City? Here's how it works with EXFM and what you'll need.

In Ho Chi Minh City the ruble exchange solves the same problem as everywhere in Vietnam: Russian cards don't work abroad, and ruble cash is of no use. Rubles go through SBP or to the details provided, and you receive dong from an ATM, through VietQR at checkout or on your account — whichever fits your schedule.

What doesn't work in Vietnam

A standard international transfer doesn't suit everyone: if your bank is disconnected from SWIFT, the money simply won't reach a Vietnamese account. Ruble cash seldom helps — it can be exchanged only in certain places and not often on good terms. That leaves a scheme where rubles leave you cashlessly inside Russia and you receive dong on the spot.

Where the dong goes in Ho Chi Minh City

Cash dong is most often needed for:

• taxis and rides around the city
• cafés, markets and day trips to the Mekong Delta
• housing and coworking on a longer stay

Where to send rubles from

You can send rubles through SBP (the Faster Payments System) or to details from your manager. The familiar apps will do: Sberbank, T-Bank (Tinkoff), VTB, Alfa-Bank, Gazprombank, Sovcombank, Rosbank, Otkritie, Promsvyazbank, Raiffeisenbank, Russian Standard and Yandex Bank — and other banks that take part in SBP. Ask your manager which option suits your amount.

How to get dong in Ho Chi Minh City

1. Cardless ATM. After your transfer, the manager gives you a withdrawal code: you walk up to the ATM, tell the manager you're there and follow the step-by-step instructions. No card is needed, but the partner ATM network grows gradually — check in advance whether one is close to you.

2. VietQR instead of cash. If you're short on dong and need to pay right now, send the seller's QR code to your manager. The manager pays the bill and confirms the payment, while you transfer rubles to EXFM — no dong in hand required.

3. To your account at a Vietnamese bank. A fit for people who stay for a long time and have already opened an account. Transfers go only to an account in your own name: the manager checks the recipient's details against the sender's before the operation. The list of banks keeps growing — ask your manager for the current one.

How to exchange money in Ho Chi Minh City: step by step

1. Contact a manager in a messenger — the contacts are on exfm.app.
2. State how much you want to exchange and in which currency — rubles or Online USD.
3. If you're new to us, the manager runs a video verification (KYC).
4. Decide what suits you: an ATM code, a VietQR payment or a transfer to a Vietnamese account.
5. Send the funds to the details you were given.
6. Collect your dong and keep the confirmation of the operation.

How not to lose money on the exchange

• Confirm the rate and the dong amount before sending rubles.
• Don't exchange large sums with random people on the street or in shops: the transparency of their rate is questionable.
• Keep your chat with the manager and the confirmation of the operation.
• Keep a little cash withdrawn by code for small expenses.
• Double-check the details before sending: an electronic transfer can't be reversed.

Planning a trip and want to sort out dong in advance? Message an EXFM manager — we'll pick a way to receive it that fits your route.