Coc Coc, Vietnam’s homegrown search engine, has spent nearly a decade competing against Google. While other local competitors have disappeared, Coc Coc has secured the second spot in Vietnam’s search engine rankings and ranks third for browsers, trailing only Chrome and Safari.
Founded in 2013 by Russian and Vietnamese engineers, including Russian entrepreneur Victor Lavrenko, Coc Coc set out to provide a more localized search experience. The name, meaning “knock knock” in Vietnamese, reflects its goal of being a user-friendly and distinctly local alternative to Google.
Despite its success, the company has faced challenges. Lavrenko, who served as CEO until 2018, has accused Coc Coc of unethical practices—a claim the company denies. This legal dispute has added tension to Coc Coc’s journey as it works to solidify its market position.
Unlike China’s Baidu, which benefited from Google’s absence, Coc Coc has had to compete directly with the tech giant. Its localized features, such as handling Vietnamese diacritics and providing culturally relevant search results, have been key to its survival.
The company has also been quietly advancing its offerings. Recent product launches, including AI-driven tools like Coc Coc AI Chat and Coc Coc AI Search, demonstrate its ambition to innovate. These tools aim to enhance user experiences by providing faster and more relevant search results, with an emphasis on Vietnamese language support.
Coc Coc’s trajectory mirrors Microsoft Bing’s position in global markets as a viable alternative to Google. By continuing to focus on localization and advanced technologies, the company is positioning itself as Vietnam’s Bing.
While Coc Coc faces tough competition and occasional controversy, its resilience underscores its unique value in Vietnam’s digital landscape.