Uber competitor Bolt starts recruiting Vietnamese drivers

By Anh Tu January 6, 2025 | 08:56 pm PT

A Bolt, formerly known as Taxify, sign is seen on the taxi car in Riga, Latvia April 9, 2019. Photo by Reuters

Bolt, Europe’s first homegrown ride-hailing company and Uber’s main competitor in the continent, is now recruiting management staff and drivers in HCMC.

The company’s website, which now offers Vietnamese as a language option, allows candidates to register as drivers for a weekly income running into millions of dong (VND1 million = US$39.40).

Founded in 2013 in Estonia, Bolt now operates in over 50 countries with services ranging from ride-hailing and car rentals to food and grocery delivery.

It claims to have 4.6 million drivers and delivery partners serving over 200 million users globally.

Vietnam’s ride-hailing market is projected to reach $880 million in 2024 and grow at a compounded annual rate of 19.5%, hitting $2.16 billion by 2029, according to Indian market research firm Mordor Intelligence.

Its major competitors now include Grab, Xanh SM and Be.

Last year Indonesia’s Gojek exited Vietnam after six years in the country, while Uber had pulled out in 2018.