VNG - the first Vietnamese tech unicorn – is among 10 Asian companies to watch in 2023, according to  Japan’s Nikkei Asia website. (Photo: VNG)

Nikkei Asia says VNG has emerged as one of Vietnam’s most-watched companies, with a possible initial public offering in 2023.

VNG started in 2004 as an online game publisher and developer called Vinagame. The company's cash cow business has expanded to other Asian markets, where it competes with rivals like Singapore-based Sea. With users in more than 130 countries, VNG aims to reach 320 million customers globally this year.

The Vietnamese tech company has expanded to other areas, most notably with Zalo, its messenger app launched in 2012. The service overtook Meta's Facebook Messenger in Vietnam in 2020 and now has over 74 million active users in its home market, where the app is used to chat, shop, send money, and pay household bills.

VNG is trying to accelerate its international expansion -- which a US market debut will facilitate.