SET UP AND INVEST
Starting a business in Vietnam
Plan the entity, licenses, funding and practical steps needed before launch.
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Arbitration in Vietnam: 7 Realities Foreign Companies Must Get Right
Foreign companies doing business in Vietnam increasingly use arbitration to resolve commercial disputes outside the court system. But many of them underestimate what it takes to make arbitration in Vietnam actually work. To put it simply, for arbitration to work in Vietnam, the arbitration clause must be valid, the procedure must be managed carefully, the …
4 Legal Problems with Digital Products in an MLM Model in Vietnam
Many businesses today do sell only products. They may also include digital content, app access, subscriptions, membership benefits, online tools, or other digital features as part of the offer. From a business point of view, this may seem modern and attractive. From a legal point of view, however, digital products in an MLM model in …
7 Risk Signs in an MLM Model in Vietnam That Businesses Should Review
For a long time, many businesses have thought that the main legal challenge in multi level marketing (MLM) is obtaining a license. Today, getting a license is only the beginning. A serious investor now needs to look further and ask whether the MLM model in Vietnam remains safe after launch. A license is only part …
What Decree 137/2026 on Multi Level Marketing Regulation in Vietnam Means for MLM Businesses
Vietnam has issued Decree 137/2026 on multi level marketing, effective from July 1, 2026. This decree replaces the previous framework on multi level marketing regulation in Vietnam. Decree 137/2026 does not regulate only with licensing procedures. It also regulates what products may be sold, how an multi level marketing (MLM) network may grow, how businesses …
Contract Disputes in Vietnam: 8 Business Risks Foreign Companies Must Control
Foreign companies often believe they have a strong case against a Vietnamese counter-party. Yet they still lose contract disputes in Vietnam. They often realize too late that they lost not because the other side had better facts, but because the contract was never drafted with a real dispute in mind when the relationship began. In …
7 Legal Mistakes That Buyers Must Avoid: Buy Property in Vietnam as a Foreigner
Quick Reference to Buy Property in Vietnam Foreign individuals permitted to enter Vietnam may buy property in Vietnam, including apartments and houses in approved commercial housing projects, subject to ownership caps and location restrictions. Ownership is granted for up to 50 years, extendable once. Foreigners cannot acquire land use rights directly. Overseas Vietnamese with Vietnamese …
How to Inherit Property in Vietnam from Abroad: 5 Steps to Protect Your Rights
When a cross-border succession involves real estate in Vietnam, non-resident beneficiaries are immediately confronted with complex regulatory hurdles. The primary strategic concerns quickly shift from standard inheritance to legal reality. Questions to be asked include if Vietnamese law permits the retention of the asset, or if liquidation is mandatory. And how can this legal transition …
7 Strategic Lessons from Vietnam’s Rehabilitation and Bankruptcy Law on Timing, Control, and Value
Vietnam’s Rehabilitation and Bankruptcy Law (No. 142/2025/QH15) took effect on March 1, 2026. It changes the country’s insolvency system from one that focused mainly on liquidation to one that give priority to rehabilitation first. In here, we discuss what the law means for business timing, management control, and enterprise value. For CEOs, the real danger …
Vietnam Company Formation in the ERC 1st Era: Why the Licensing Process Has Changed for Foreign Investors?
Quick Reference Vietnam company formation process has changed from March 1, 2026. Under the Investment Law 2025, ERC first in Vietnam allows the foreign investor to establish the company and obtain its Enterprise Registration Certificate (ERC) before carrying out the Investment Registration Certificate (IRC) procedure. Market access conditions still apply at establishment. If the project …
Customs IP Protection in Vietnam: 5 Key Points from Circular 06/2026/TT-BTC
Quick Reference Circular 06/2026/TT-BTC, effective March 1, 2026, amends Circular 13/2015/TT-BTC to modernize customs IP protection in Vietnam Digital IP certificates verifiable through WIPO databases are accepted as official documentation Vietnam Customs gains proactive authority to suspend suspected infringing shipments E-commerce and cross-border shipments are subject to dedicated risk management checks The reform reduces administrative …