Public Certification Authorities Honored in 2023 for Excellence in Digital Signature Services Based on CA-Index Evaluations

The digital transformation landscape in Vietnam reached another significant milestone as the National Electronic Authentication Center (NEAC), operating under the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC), officially published the comprehensive quality assessment results for public certification authorities (CAs) for the year 2023. The official announcement was made during the fourth-quarter liaison conference held in Hanoi, jointly organized by NEAC and the Vietnam Digital Signature and Electronic Transaction Club.

This landmark event marked the first time that the full evaluation results of public CA service quality were publicly disclosed and honored following a formal ranking process. While an initial pilot assessment was conducted in 2022, the 2023 evaluation represents a fully realized framework designed to elevate service standards, promote healthy market competition, and bolster consumer trust in the nation’s burgeoning digital infrastructure.

Top Performers and Category Recognition

Following rigorous evaluations utilizing the specialized CA-Index 2023 framework, five prominent public CAs emerged at the forefront of the industry. Recognized for delivering the highest overall service quality in 2023 are VNPT-CA, Viettel-CA, CA2, FPT-CA, and MISA-CA. Representatives from these leading organizations received official certificates of recognition from NEAC leadership and the Vietnam Digital Signature and Electronic Transaction Club during the ceremony.

In addition to the overarching Top 5 designation, NEAC and its partnering organizations presented five specialized sub-category awards to highlight exceptional performance in specific operational areas:

• Best Legal Compliance CA 2023: Awarded to EASYCA for maintaining exemplary adherence to state regulations and legal frameworks.
• Best Application-Rated CA 2023: Secured by Viettel-CA, reflecting high satisfaction and smooth integration reported by software application partners.
• Best Customer Experience CA 2023: Presented to CA2 in recognition of superior user support, seamless onboarding, and responsive client assistance.
• Most Technologically Advanced and Diverse Service CA 2023: Claimed by VNPT-CA for robust innovation, technological integration, and service portfolio breadth.
• Best Market Share and Pricing CA 2023: Also awarded to VNPT-CA, acknowledging its competitive pricing strategies and extensive market penetration.

These accolades underscore a maturing market where providers are not only meeting baseline regulatory mandates but are actively differentiating themselves through technological innovation, cost efficiency, and customer-centric service delivery.

Methodology and the CA-Index 2023 Framework

The CA-Index 202

3 is a specialized evaluation metric developed by NEAC in close collaboration with Viet Analytics. Designed to provide an independent, objective assessment of public certificate authorities, the index evaluates providers across six distinct component criteria:

1. Legal Compliance: Adherence to statutory requirements, licensing conditions, and regulatory guidelines governing digital signature services.
2. Technology and Service Diversity: The robustness of the underlying infrastructure, security protocols, and the variety of value-added services offered to end-users.
3. Market Share and Pricing: The provider’s footprint within the national market, evaluated alongside the competitiveness and transparency of their pricing packages.
4. Customer Experience: Direct feedback measuring user satisfaction, responsiveness of support teams, and ease of certificate issuance and renewal processes.
5. Application Partner Integration: The seamlessness with which third-party applications—such as tax systems, banking platforms, and e-invoicing software—integrate with the CA’s infrastructure.
6. Agent Network Business Operations: The efficiency, reach, and management quality of the provider’s distribution and reseller networks.

To compute the final index, the research team employed a multifaceted data collection methodology comprising four core research and survey methods: online surveys, mystery shopper evaluations, expert panel reviews, and direct field assessments.

The empirical scale of the 2023 evaluation was extensive, encompassing feedback from a total of 3,140 respondents across both enterprise and individual user segments. Of this total, 2,730 customers were selected randomly from existing databases provided by the CAs and issued direct evaluation questionnaires. An additional 410 responses were gathered randomly from newly established enterprises registered with provincial Departments of Planning and Investment throughout 2023, providing critical insights into the onboarding experiences of first-time corporate users.

Industry Convergence and Closing Performance Gaps

Speaking at the announcement ceremony, Phung Huy Tam, Chairman of the Vietnam Digital Signature and Electronic Transaction Club, highlighted a notable trend observed in the 2023 data: public CAs are steadily converging in terms of service quality.

According to Tam, the cumulative scores across evaluated providers generally clustered in the "fair" to "good" ranges, with individual component scores showing razor-thin margins between competitors. This compression indicates that the competitive playing field is leveling, granting every public CA a viable opportunity to upgrade its service offerings and capture greater market share.

"The CA-Index serves as an independent mirror, allowing every provider to identify operational strengths, review shortcomings, and enact necessary improvements," Tam remarked. He further emphasized that beyond state administrative compliance checks, the annual publication of the CA-Index actively reinforces market trust by introducing transparency and widespread public communication.

Industry experts have also suggested expanding future iterations of the index to incorporate advanced evaluation metrics. Recommendations include assessing sector-specific challenges and policy impacts, such as mitigating risks associated with aggressive discounting practices, and evaluating digital signature security and efficiency within sensitive verticals like online banking and public administration portals.

Strategic Outlook: Fostering the Personal Digital Certificate Market

Looking ahead, the strategic focus for public certification authorities is shifting from purely enterprise-focused solutions toward the mass adoption of personal digital signatures. To Ho Thu Huong, Director of NEAC, this transition is vital for the broader realization of national digital government, digital economy, and digital society initiatives.

Director To Ho Thu Huong noted that while enterprise deployment of digital signatures for tax filing, customs clearance, and electronic invoicing has achieved high saturation, the individual citizen market remains an untapped frontier. Empowering everyday citizens with personal digital signatures is viewed as an essential catalyst for secure online transactions, electronic contract execution, and seamless access to public administrative services.

By combining rigorous regulatory oversight, transparent quality indexes like the CA-Index, and targeted market development strategies, Vietnam’s electronic authentication sector is well-positioned to sustain its rapid growth. The collaborative efforts between regulatory bodies, industry clubs, and service providers ensure that the national digital trust infrastructure remains secure, reliable, and accessible to all citizens and businesses.