Chromium Based Web Browser Coc Coc
🏁 Origins & Founding
The company behind Cốc Cốc started out as iTim Technologies LLC (Vietnam) in 2008. The founding team included Russian-Israeli entrepreneur Viktor Lavrenko (former CTO of Mail.ru and founder of the Russian search engine Nigma) along with Vietnamese co-founders Lê Văn Thanh, Nguyễn Thanh Bình and Nguyễn Đức Ngọc.
The initial goal was to build a search engine and browser tailored for the Vietnamese market, with features to support the Vietnamese language and local usage contexts.
The first version of the browser was released under the name “Cờ Rôm+” (a play on “Chrome Plus”) around December 2012.
📆 Product & Branding Timeline
14 May 2013: Official major release of Cờ Rôm+ as a browser.
2 April 2014: The browser was officially rebranded to Cốc Cốc (meaning roughly “Knock-Knock”) to unify under one brand for browser + search + other services.
Over the years since then, the product expanded from desktop (Windows) to mobile platforms (Android and iOS) and also added search engine features, desktop + mobile sync, Vietnamese-language optimisations.
🚀 Growth & Market Adoption in Vietnam
Shortly after its 2013 release, Cốc Cốc quickly gained traction in Vietnam. Within a few months of its official release it reportedly surpassed some competitors in user numbers.
By October 2017 the browser reportedly had more than 22 million users in Vietnam and ranked as the second-most popular browser in Vietnam after Google Chrome.
Market share data: In November 2014 it had a desktop usage share of ~18.25% in Vietnam. By August 2020 the desktop share had dropped to ~16.42%. As of August 2024 the desktop share was ~11.41%.
Despite the drop in desktop share, the browser remains a significant local player, especially because it integrates Vietnamese-specific features and language support which many global browsers might not prioritise.
🧩 Key Features & Differentiators
Cốc Cốc distinguishes itself in several ways, especially tuned for the Vietnamese market:
Built on the open-source Chromium code base, giving it similar core architecture to Chrome.
Vietnamese-language support: e.g., automatic addition of Vietnamese diacritical marks when users type without accents.
Built-in dictionary lookup (English-Vietnamese, Chinese-Vietnamese) when double-clicking words.
Features such as faster downloads of audio/video, built-in ad-blocker, ability to bypass domain blocking (in earlier versions) for Vietnamese sites.
Newer versions include features like integrated torrent download support, media panel, “Pin video” (Picture-in-Picture), synchronization across devices, etc.
On mobile, features include “Cinema mode”, playlist support, enhanced privacy (Incognito with Tor mode) etc.
📉 Challenges & Recent Developments
Although the browser grew strongly early on, like many local browsers it has seen a decline in share as global browsers strengthen their local language support and as mobile usage grows.)
There are user-concerns around privacy/data collection. For example, some Reddit users allege:
“Everything you type in Cốc Cốc browser is sent to their servers by default.”
That doesn’t mean the allegation is confirmed, but it shows there is some scrutiny around data practices.- Maintaining competitiveness: As mobile becomes dominant, and as global browsers push harder in local markets, Cốc Cốc must keep innovating and delivering localised features to stay relevant.
Adversarial environment: In markets like Vietnam, the browser ecosystem also interacts with issues of blocked websites, circumvention, local regulation, etc. For instance, Cốc Cốc previously included features to bypass DNS blocking of certain sites.
🌐 Significance & Impact
Cốc Cốc is noteworthy because it shows how a local browser tuned for language, culture and regional ecosystem can compete with global browser giants — at least in certain segments.
It supports the Vietnamese digital ecosystem: by integrating Vietnamese writing support, dictionary, downloadable content, etc, it fills gaps that more generic browsers might leave.
It also shows how browser + search engine integration can be a strategy for regional players (Cốc Cốc also offers its own search engine service).
✅ Current Status (as of 2025)
The browser is still available for Windows (desktop), Android, iOS and macOS.
The official website claims tens of millions of users and positions itself as “trusted by 30 million users” in Vietnam.
The feature set continues to expand: ad-blocker, video downloader, sidebar messenger integrations, torrent support, etc.
Market share: While once very strong on desktop, it faces headwinds from global players and changing usage patterns (mobile, cross-device, etc).
The Origins: Ambition and the Vietnamese Digital Landscape (2010-2012)
The story of Coc Coc begins not just as a browser project, but as a strategic mission to create a Vietnamese-centric internet ecosystem.
Founding Vision (2010): The company was co-founded by a group of Vietnamese and Russian entrepreneurs, with Victor Lavrenko (a former Yandex executive) playing a pivotal early role as CEO. The involvement of Yandex, Russia’s dominant search engine, was crucial, providing both technical expertise and a proven model of how a local player could outperform Google in its home market.
The “Google of Vietnam” Goal: The core insight was that global browsers and search engines like Google Chrome did not adequately serve the unique needs of Vietnamese users, particularly in handling the complex Vietnamese language with its numerous diacritical marks and local slang.
Initial Product: Search Engine: Before the browser existed, Coc Coc launched its own search engine. However, convincing users to switch their default search from Google was an uphill battle. The team realized that to control the search experience, they needed to control the gateway: the browser itself.
The Launch of Coc Coc Browser (2012-2013)
In December 2012, Coc Coc launched its flagship product, the Coc Coc Browser.
Strategic Foundation: The browser was built on the Chromium open-source project, the same foundation as Google Chrome. This was a brilliant strategic move. It ensured 100% compatibility with websites and Chrome extensions, eliminating a major barrier to adoption. Users wouldn’t be sacrificing functionality by switching.
The Killer Feature: “Unmistakable Vietnamese” (Tiếng Việt không dấu): Coc Coc’s breakthrough was its revolutionary text input and spell check. It allowed users to type Vietnamese words without diacritics (e.g., “tieng Viet” instead of “Tiếng Việt”) and the browser would automatically correct it to the proper form. This solved a massive pain point for millions of Vietnamese users and was far superior to anything Google Chrome offered at the time.
Integrated Download Manager: It featured a built-in download accelerator that was significantly faster on Vietnam’s often unstable internet connections, another highly practical, localized feature.
Rapid Growth and Market Penetration (2014-2017)
The browser’s focus on solving local problems led to explosive growth.
Rising Popularity: By 2015, just three years after launch, Coc Coc Browser had become the second most popular browser in Vietnam, trailing only Google Chrome.
Challenging Google: It became a genuine threat, capturing a significant portion of the search market. At its peak, it was estimated to hold around 25% of the search market share in Vietnam.
Expanding Ecosystem: The company leveraged the browser’s user base to promote its other services, including Coc Coc Maps and Coc Coc News, aiming to create a self-contained digital ecosystem.
Challenges and Internal Turmoil (2017-2020)
This period was marked by significant internal conflict that threatened the company’s stability.
The Founder Dispute (2017): A major power struggle erupted between the Vietnamese founding partners and the Russian shareholders, including CEO Victor Lavrenko. The Vietnamese founders alleged that Lavrenko was running the company as a “Russian satellite” and not in the best interest of its Vietnamese identity and stakeholders.
CEO Ouster and Lawsuit: In a dramatic turn, the Vietnamese founders orchestrated a vote to remove Lavrenko as CEO. This led to a protracted legal battle, with lawsuits filed in both Vietnam and Singapore.
Impact: The public dispute created uncertainty and likely slowed down innovation and strategic planning during this critical period.
Stabilization and the Modern Era (2021-Present)
Despite the internal challenges, Coc Coc Browser managed to stabilize and maintain its position.
Leadership Stabilization: After the legal disputes were settled, a new, stable leadership team took over, refocusing on the core product.
Maintaining Market Share: As of the early 2020s, Coc Coc remains the #2 browser in Vietnam with a very loyal user base, consistently holding a significant share of the market (often estimated between 20-25%).
Continued Localization: The browser continues to double down on its local strategy, with deep integrations for popular services in Vietnam, especially Facebook, and continuous improvements to its Vietnamese language processing.
The AI Era: Like all modern browsers, Coc Coc has begun integrating AI features to maintain competitiveness, ensuring its tools for search and content creation remain relevant.
Summary: Key Reasons for Its Enduring Success
Deep Localization: It solved the fundamental problem of Vietnamese language input better than anyone else.
Smart Technology Choice: Building on Chromium provided instant compatibility and a familiar user experience.
Performance Optimization: Features like the fast download manager addressed the practical realities of Vietnam’s internet infrastructure.
First-Mover Advantage in Local Browsing: It was the first to seriously cater to the Vietnamese market with a full-featured, Chromium-based browser.
The history of Coc Coc Browser is a classic case study of how a deep understanding of local user needs, combined with smart technology choices, can allow a regional player to not only enter but thrive in a market dominated by global tech titans.
