This paper seeks to examine the experiences of Vietnamese migrants in Hungary, which specifically puts a focus on their ethnic economy. Using qualitative data and an intersectional perspective, it explores the ways ethnic economy, debt, and related ethnic apparatus shape how people live their everyday life and how they navigate through options of future opportunities. This paper finds that ethnic businesses, especially restaurants and shops, together with the debt factor, form a powerful duo in shaping the paths towards upward mobility that is arguably limited in most of the cases. Ultimately, the findings show that while migrants show strong effort and resilience, deep structural barriers continue to restrict full integration and upward mobility.