"Vietnamese spending behaviours have changed." Ride-Hailing Battle The programme also opens up another front for Uber in its battle for ride-hailing customers and drivers. In Vietnam, the San Francisco-based startup competes with GrabTaxi Holdings Pte like it battles Lyft Inc in the US and Didi Chuxing in China. Mr Hung is one of the first Uber drivers in Vietnam to use the programme that could be tapped into by tens of thousands of other Vietnamese, said Dang Viet Dung, Uber Vietnam general manager. For many people in the country, it's the first time they have relied on financing in one of Southeast Asia's most expensive automobile markets. "We believe this type of programme has the potential to deliver similar benefits in other countries in the region and the world," Mr Dung said. Uber has also just started a leasing programme with Toyota Motor Corp in which payments are made from Uber fares.