Market-entry risk begins before the company is registered. It appears when management assumes the planned activity is open to foreign investment, the local partner is trustworthy, the registered address can lawfully host that activity, and the proposed capital will be enough to fund the launch. Those assumptions become expensive after the lease, shareholder agreement or …
A new company gives the investor a clean corporate history but no customers, team or licences beyond what it builds. An acquisition can provide an operating platform, yet the investor also buys the target’s past. A joint venture may add local capability while creating shared control. The right choice depends on what creates value in …
A Vietnamese partner should enter the ownership structure for a clear legal or commercial reason. Adding a partner merely because foreign investment appears difficult can create a control problem that lasts longer than the licensing issue. Where market access permits full foreign ownership, the investor should compare the value of direct control against the real …
Foreign ownership in Vietnam is not obvious. The answer depends on the exact activity, the investor, the investment form, Vietnam’s treaty commitments and specialised sector rules and should be part of the assessment in the Vietnam market entry strategy. The 2025 Investment Law regulates the activity falls within the restricted market-access framework for foreign investors. …
Corporate and Commercial · Email our team A foreign company does not need an operating subsidiary merely because it wants employees and a visible presence in Vietnam. A representative office can support market research, liaison and promotion, and can hire staff for those permitted functions. The dividing line is the business activity. If the Vietnam …
The fastest way into Vietnam is not always a new company. A distributor may test demand with less fixed cost, while a representative office can place employees on the ground for market research and promotion without creating a local revenue business. The structure becomes more demanding when the Vietnam presence must sign contracts, invoice customers, …
A foreign investor can register a company in Vietnam and still choose the wrong market-entry structure. The company may exist, but it may not support the intended revenue model, ownership level, licences, staffing plan or exit route. The better starting point is the investor’s first 12 to 24 months in Vietnam. Management should decide what …
Quick Reference For a long time, the easier direction of capital has been into Vietnam. Moving capital the other way, from a Vietnam company to a project abroad, has been harder. That is now changing. Vietnam is slowly opening the door for its companies to invest overseas, but it is doing so under supervision. For …
When Vietnam issues a new decree on investment, the most common question managers ask is whether foreign-owned companies have to amend IRC or ERC. With Decree 96/2026/ND-CP, the answer for most operating businesses is no. You do not have to rush to amend your Investment Registration Certificate (IRC) or Enterprise Registration Certificate (ERC) just because …
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 …
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