Vietnam Business News: Week in Review (04 Oct 2025)

Vietnam has quickly become one of Asia’s most dynamic economies, offering foreign investors and entrepreneurs an attractive environment for growth. With its ongoing regulatory reforms, digital transformation, and focus on compliance, doing business in Vietnam is no longer just about market entry - it’s about understanding how innovation and law interact to create sustainable opportunities.

This week’s Vietnam business update highlights key developments:

• ​Anti-Corruption Drive: Tackling Complex and High-Profile Cases
• Reforming Vietnam’s E-Commerce, Bankruptcy, and Thrift Laws
• Construction Law Amendments: Unlocking New Growth
• New Socio-Economic Policies Effective October 2025
• Insurance Sector Compliance: Higher Penalties Ahead

United Consulting provides regular business updates to highlight the most important shifts affecting entrepreneurs, SMEs, and foreign investors. Whether you’re already doing business in Vietnam or exploring new Business & Investment opportunities, staying ahead of these changes will help you navigate compliance and seize growth potential. Follow us on LinkedIn or Facebook to always stay up to date! 

Anti-Corruption Drive: Tackling Complex and High-Profile Cases

Vietnam continues to prioritize anti-corruption as a central element of its governance and economic strategy. At the latest meeting of the Central Internal Affairs Commission, chaired by General Secretary Tô Lâm, authorities emphasized resolute action against serious and complex corruption cases that have drawn significant public attention.

Key highlights include:

• Stronger enforcement against “interest groups” formed by officials, entrepreneurs, and criminals, which threaten Vietnam’s healthy business environment.
• Focus on concluding investigations into 22 cases and 6 incidents by the end of 2025.
• Directives to accelerate the resolution of 11 stalled projects, preventing further waste without overlooking past violations.
• A greater shift toward prevention rather than reactive enforcement.

For businesses, this signals a tougher stance on corporate compliance. Enterprises operating in Vietnam should prioritize transparent accounting, ethical business practices, and internal compliance audits to avoid being caught in broader investigations.

Reforming Vietnam’s E-Commerce, Bankruptcy, and Thrift Laws

Vietnam’s National Assembly is actively reviewing amendments to several critical laws that directly affect businesses and investors.

Updates to the E-Commerce Law

• Joint responsibility for platforms: Livestreaming and e-commerce platforms will be legally accountable if they fail to act on false advertising, counterfeit goods, or other violations.
• Greater consumer protection: Platforms can no longer claim to be “mere intermediaries.” Their algorithms and hosting power put them directly in the compliance chain.

For companies doing business in Vietnam’s booming digital sector, this means stricter monitoring of content, product listings, and vendor activities.

Revisions to the Bankruptcy Law

• Introduction of simplified recovery procedures to streamline bankruptcy resolution.
• However, credit institutions and insurance enterprises remain excluded from these processes, raising concerns about potential legal inconsistencies.

Strengthening Thrift and Anti-Wastefulness Regulations

• More robust transparency and disclosure requirements on wasteful spending.
• Clearer rules on timelines for publicizing violations and penalties to strengthen deterrence.

For Vietnam business owners, especially SMEs, these updates highlight the importance of financial discipline and adherence to stricter reporting standards.

Construction Law Amendments: Unlocking New Growth

Vietnam’s construction sector is a vital engine for economic growth, but it has long been burdened by bureaucratic bottlenecks. The amended Construction Law seeks to resolve these challenges while promoting innovation.

Key Features of the Draft Law

• Streamlined procedures: Reduced administrative steps for investment, licensing, inspection, and supervision.
• Shift to post-inspection: Transitioning from pre-approval controls to post-inspection accountability, granting businesses more autonomy while maintaining state oversight.
• Encouraging innovation: Support for digital transformation, green development, advanced construction technology, and new materials.
• Level playing field: Stronger guarantees for fair treatment of private enterprises in project licensing and appraisal.
• Better legal alignment: Projects classified by investment type (public, PPP, private) for consistency with other relevant laws.

For foreign investors and construction firms, this law could significantly reduce entry barriers and create a more transparent, growth-friendly environment.

New Socio-Economic Policies Effective October 2025

October 2025 marks a wave of new policies that directly affect businesses and compliance in Vietnam, according to Law No. 67/2025/QH15 on Corporate Income Tax 2025, effective from October 1.

Corporate Income Tax (CIT) Law 2025

• Standard CIT rate: 20%.
• Reduced rates for SMEs: 15% or 17% depending on revenue thresholds.
• Greater recognition of R&D and innovation expenses as deductible costs.

Science, Technology, and Innovation Law

• Encourages adoption of Artificial Intelligence and advanced technology.
• Supports companies investing in research, innovation, and digital transformation.

Gold Market Liberalization

• The State monopoly on gold bar manufacturing and raw gold import/export is officially abolished.
• Gold trading is now a conditional business, requiring State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) licensing.

Banking Reforms

• SBV introduces a 50% reduction in mandatory reserve ratios for credit institutions managing or taking over banks under special control.
• Aimed at strengthening Vietnam’s banking system and liquidity.

Transport and Education Policies

• Traffic accounts: Vehicle toll accounts must be linked to non-cash payment methods by October 1, 2025. Non-compliant vehicles will be barred from toll gates.
• Education reforms: Harsh disciplinary actions like study suspensions abolished, replaced with milder corrective measures.

For businesses, these policies offer both compliance requirements and new opportunities - particularly for SMEs benefiting from lower tax rates and tech-friendly reforms.

Insurance Sector Compliance: Higher Penalties Ahead

The Ministry of Finance is preparing amendments to Decree 174/2024 to address inadequacies in the insurance sector’s regulatory framework.

Proposed Penalty Increases:

• Provincial Police Directors’ fine authority raised from 50 million VND to 100 million VND.
• New inspection powers for the Insurance Management and Supervision Department, including:
  • Issuing warnings
  • Fining up to 80 million VND
  • Temporarily suspending operations
  • Mandating corrective measures
• High-level regulators, such as the State Bank Chief Inspector and Minister of Finance-appointed teams, empowered to fine up to 100 million VND.

This represents a significant compliance shift for insurance providers. Businesses in the sector should strengthen compliance frameworks, staff training, and risk management systems to avoid penalties.

Conclusion: Staying Ahead in Vietnam Business and Compliance

Vietnam’s evolving legal and compliance landscape in 2025 reflects the government’s dual priorities: supporting sustainable growth while ensuring transparency and accountability. For businesses - both local and foreign - this means proactive compliance is no longer optional but a strategic necessity.

Key takeaways for companies doing business in Vietnam:

• Anti-corruption efforts will intensify, with heightened scrutiny on corporate-government relationships.
• E-commerce and digital platforms face stricter responsibilities, requiring stronger compliance monitoring.
• Construction reforms could open doors to faster project approvals and more equitable competition.
• Tax and innovation policies favor SMEs and tech-driven enterprises.
• Insurance penalties are rising, underscoring the importance of internal compliance systems.

By staying informed and adopting proactive strategies, businesses can not only avoid risks but also capitalize on new opportunities in Vietnam’s dynamic market.

✅ Looking to navigate these changes with confidence? Contact United Consulting today for tailored guidance on doing business in Vietnam and staying fully compliant.