Legal Updates & Publications

On 1 July 2025, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree No. 180/2025/ND-CP regulating mechanisms and incentives for public-private partnerships (PPP) in the areas of science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation (Decree 180). The Decree was issued pursuant to Resolution No. 193/2025/QH15 of the National Assembly (Resolution 193), which provides for special pilot mechanisms and policies to promote breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation. The Decree aims to utilise private sector resources in strategic sectors through varied PPP models, offering substantive incentives and clarity on intellectual property rights, revenue sharing, and access to data. It applies to central and local state agencies, public service units, as well as domestic and foreign organisations and individuals participating in investment activities, scientific research, technology development, innovation and digital transformation.

On 25 June 2025, during its 9^th session, the 15^th National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam officially passed Law No. 90/2025/QH15 (Law No. 90), marking a significant legislative milestone. This law introduces comprehensive amendments to eight foundational laws that govern Vietnam’s economic, investment, fiscal, and public procurement frameworks. The amendments reflect the Vietnamese Government’s ongoing commitment to institutional reform, enhanced legal consistency, and the promotion of innovation and private sector participation - particularly in sectors deemed critical to national development, such as science, technology, and digital infrastructure. Law No. 90 introduces amendments to the following legal instruments:

On 2 July 2025, following a phone call between Vietnam’s Party General Secretary To Lam and US President Donald Trump, both governments announced preliminary terms in their trade negotiations. The announcement came shortly before the original 9 July deadline, which President Trump extended to 1 August by executive order. The US will apply a 20% tariff on imports from Vietnam, replacing the previously proposed 46% rate, and a higher 40% tariff on goods classified as transshipments. In exchange, Vietnam will allow tariff-free access for certain US goods and commit to a reciprocal trade framework, with full details yet to be disclosed.

On 26 June 2025, the National Assembly of Vietnam officially enacted the Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL), which will come into force on 1 January 2026. Compared to Decree No. 13/2023/ND-CP of the Government dated 17 April 2023 on personal data protection (Decree 13), the PDPL provides clearer regulations to enhance the data privacy landscape in Vietnam while still ensuring the free flow of data. We highlight the key provisions introduced by the PDPL in our Legal Update.

We are pleased to present the first edition of our Vietnam Business Guide, drawing on over 30 years of practical legal experience advising local and international clients in Vietnam.

Further to our previous legal update on the Draft Law amending certain articles of the Law on Enterprises, the National Assembly, at its 9th session on 17 June 2025, has officially passed the Law No. 76/2025/QH15 on 17 June 2025 amending a number of articles of the Law on Enterprises No. 59/2020/QH14 (collectively, Amended Law on Enterprises), which will take effect on 1 July 2025.

We are pleased to announce the release the latest edition of our Vietnam M&A Guide, offering a detailed and practical overview of Vietnam’s continuously evolving mergers and acquisitions landscape. 

On 20 May 2025, during its 9th session, the National Assembly reviewed and provided detailed feedback on the draft law amending several provisions of the Law on Enterprises (Draft Law). If approved, the Draft Law is expected to take effect on 1 October 2025. It proposes targeted amendments to regulations on enterprise registration, corporate governance, and operational procedures, with the aim of improving regulatory clarity and strengthening transparency in corporate practices.

On 12 June 2025, the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam officially enacted Resolution No. 202/2025/QH15, a landmark decision that profoundly reorganises Vietnam's provincial-level administrative units (Resolution 202)

In light of the rapid and increasingly complex development of Vietnam’s financial technology (Fintech) sector, the need for a structured legal Sandbox to ensure transparency, security, and foster innovation has become more imperative than ever. Nearly four years after the Government of Vietnam issued Resolution No. 100/NQ-CP on September 6, 2021, approving the development of a decree on a regulatory Sandbox for Fintech operations in the banking sector, the Government officially promulgated Decree No. 94/2025/ND-CP (Decree 94) on April 29, 2025. This decree establishes a regulatory Sandbox for Fintech solutions and will take effect on July 1, 2025.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has released a draft decree intended to replace Decree No. 152/2020/ND-CP (as amended), which currently regulates the employment of foreign nationals in Vietnam. The proposed changes aim to streamline administrative procedures and bring greater clarity to the regulatory framework governing foreign workers. In doing so, the draft seeks to address persistent ambiguities and procedural bottlenecks that employers and expatriate professionals have faced in practice.

On 15 April 2025, the Prime Minister of Vietnam issued Decision No. 768/QD-TTg, which replaces and introduces significant amendments to Decision No. 500/QD-TTg and its associated implementation plans (PDP8) concerning the National Power Development Plan for the period 2021–2030, with a vision to 2050 (Revised PDP8). The new Decision marks an important shift in the Government’s approach to national power planning, particularly in light of evolving energy transition goals and Vietnam’s commitment to sustainable development.

On 19 March 2025, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree No. 69/2025/ND-CP (Decree 69), which amends and supplements certain provisions of Decree No. 01/2014/ND-CP dated 3 January 2014 concerning the purchase of shares by foreign investors in Vietnamese credit institutions. The new regulations apply to both joint-stock credit institutions and those that have been converted into joint-stock credit institutions, marking an important step in aligning the regulatory framework with recent legal and economic developments.

On 3 March 2025, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree 58/2025/ND-CP (Decree 58), providing detailed implementation guidance under the Electricity Law 2024 in relation to the development of renewable energy and new-energy electricity projects, with a particular focus on offshore wind power and rooftop solar power systems (RTS). Decree 58 introduces important regulatory clarifications concerning project eligibility, investor incentives, ownership restrictions, and compliance obligations for self-consumption systems. It also establishes a preferential regime to encourage early-stage investment in large-scale offshore wind projects. 

On 3 March 2025, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree 57/2025/ND-CP (Decree 57), establishing a formal legal framework for Direct Power Purchase Agreements (DPPAs) under the Electricity Law 2024. Decree 57 replaces the pilot mechanism introduced under Decree 80/2024/ND-CP (Decree 80) and introduces clearer regulatory pathways for renewable energy generators (RE GENCOs) and large electricity consumers to transact electricity directly, either through private infrastructure (Off-Grid) or the national transmission system (Grid-Connected).

On 3 March 2025, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree No. 56/2025/ND-CP (Decree 56) to implement key provisions of the Electricity Law 2024. Decree 56 marks a significant evolution in Vietnam’s regulatory architecture for the power sector. It provides the legal scaffolding to support transparent project planning, predictable power pricing for LNG-based generation, and competitive investor participation in electricity infrastructure. The auction framework in particular represents a step-change from prior ad hoc project approvals and is expected to attract strategic investment by reducing legal uncertainty and enhancing project bankability