Arbitrum Meetup in Vietnam
Organized by VBI Academy and Sponsored by Arbitrum DAO
1. Executive Summary
The “Arbitrum Meetup in Vietnam” was hosted by VBI Academy on July 19, 2025, in Ho Chi Minh City, with full sponsorship from Arbitrum DAO.
-
X (Twitter): https://x.com/vbi_academy
-
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VBIAcademy/
This was the first offline Arbitrum-focused event in Vietnam, designed to both introduce Arbitrum to a broader audience and provide meaningful content for developers, including a technical introduction to Stylus. We intentionally kept the format cozy, engaging, and interactive to build connections in the local community, while also creating strong social media traction.
The grant from Arbitrum DAO covered all costs of the event, including venue, logistics, swag, community incentives, media production, marketing, refreshments, and staffing. Without this funding, it would not have been possible to deliver an event of this scale and quality. The result was a lively, well-attended meetup that not only met but exceeded our initial goals, fostering genuine interest in the Arbitrum ecosystem and sparking connections between local builders.
2. Performance Against KPIs
| KPI | Target | Actual Results |
|---|---|---|
| Event Attendance | 50–60+ participants | ~60 participants |
| UGC Submissions (posts, photos, short videos) | 20+ | 38 |
| Post-Event Survey Responses | ≥ 30 responses with ≥ 80% positive feedback | 94% interested in future events. |
| Social Reach via VBI Community Channels | ≥ 10,000 impressions | >28,200 impressions |
| Swag Packs Distributed | 60 | 60 |
| Video Recap Published | 1 video (shared via Twitter, Facebook, YouTube) | https://x.com/vbi_academy/status/1950850158004248760 |
3. Qualitative Impact & Community Feedback
We received strong, positive responses from attendees, and as a host, you can really feel the energy, the excitement when games are held, it’s always nice to introduce a little competitive edge to an event, this, for us, is beyond meeting KPIs. When people truly enjoy, are friendly and interactive to one another.
At the event, we were joined by two local teams currently building on Arbitrum, Quantum3Labs and Hyra Tek. During the meetup, a spontaneous touch when some participants asked if they could see a live demo from the Quantum3Labs team, and moments like that are exactly what make gatherings like this so special. Considering this was the very first Arbitrum event in Vietnam, and that Arbitrum has not yet established an official presence here, it was inspiring to see such organic curiosity and interaction. We are proud to have created a space where these connections could happen and to have played a role in bringing people together.
Feedback, photos, and social media links:
Mini task for our developers, completed on the spot.
If you want to see what they did: stylus-workshop-basic/builders at main · vbi-academy/stylus-workshop-basic · GitHub
Our two winners for creative content challenge:
https://x.com/vbi_academy/status/1946752802233163862
4. Financial Summary
Grant Utilization Breakdown:
-
Venue, Logistics & Operations: $1,400 (31.8%)
-
Materials & Swag: $800 (18.2%)
-
Community Incentives: $700 (15.9%)
-
Camera / Media Team: $400 (9.1%)
-
Marketing Outreach: $400 (9.1%)
-
Tea Breaks: $400 (9.1%)
-
Staffing (On-event support): $300 (6.8%)
Total Estimated Budget: $4,400
The grant fully funded all aspects of the event, and there were no meaningful deviations from the original budget plan.
5. Future Plans & Continued Ecosystem Alignment
From this experience, it is clear there is strong potential for Arbitrum’s growth in Vietnam. The local crypto and developer community is active, curious, and eager for more. While we do not have a fixed concept for the next project, we believe the priority should be establishing a stronger Arbitrum presence in Vietnam. This could begin with consistent meetups, representation at major blockchain events, or the creation of an ambassador program. Over time, this presence will allow the market to mature further and create a self-sustaining Arbitrum community.
6. Additional Remarks
As mentioned, one of the most telling moments of the meetup came from two local teams, Quantum3Labs and Hyra Tek, who approached us during the event. Both are building on Arbitrum and came expecting to meet official representatives. They shared their work and discussed challenges they face, particularly around visibility and access to support. They also noted that ecosystems like SUI have a much stronger presence in Vietnam, which is influencing developer decisions.
From our perspective, it’s either in or out, as delays will slowly become a huge disadvantage. Many different ecosystems have already established roots here with multiple programs in Vietnam, and this alone gives developers and projects a place to go and a support system to rely on. The two teams also expressed to me personally that while it can be challenging to develop at times, they remain hopeful, seeing this as a good sign that Arbitrum is open to the market. We hope to see more of Arbitrum here in Vietnam, especially since there are already existing projects and momentum. We hope it points out the importance of having more visible engagement from Arbitrum and Arbitrum DAO in Vietnam to retain and grow these relationships.
Kwayy at VBI Academy 
@kwayy_21