With the Vietnamese ecommerce industry exploding as of late, it makes sense for the government to introduce new regulations and laws to keep pace and ensure both consumers and businesses are protected.

While the laws being proposed are aimed at creating favorable conditions for the sustainable development of the industry and Vietnam’s digital economy as a whole, many businesses take issue with several of the potential regulations, claiming they’ll interfere with the civil and commercial transactions of businesses.

The Law on Ecommerce in Vietnam

In Vietnam, the Law on E-commerce 2025 is set to take effect on July 1st, 2026, after being passed by the 15th National Assembly at its 10th session.

A law surrounding ecommerce was necessary for the nation, as the digital economy is growing rapidly, with ecommerce seeing a growth rate of over 20% annually for years, according to the Vietnam E-commerce Association (VECOM).

In fact, among the major platforms operating in the region, gross merchandise value (GMV) increased by 47% in Q1 2026 compared to Q1 2025. Vietnam is also seeing some of the most growth of any Southeast Asian region in terms of ecommerce.

The law aims to create favorable conditions for the sustainable development of ecommerce and the digital economy in the region, and support businesses while also protecting customers.

But before the law goes into effect, there’s currently a draft Decree detailing some of the provisions of the law being finalized. 

While the Vietnamese ecommerce business community offered some positive feedback on the draft, such as how it protects consumer rights and enhances transparency, many companies believe that some of the regulations deeply interfere with both the commercial and civil transactions of businesses.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the issues businesses in Vietnam have with the regulations as they’re currently outlined.

Businesses Have Problems With the Reporting Mechanism

First, the regulation on online reporting was brought up as an issue for businesses. The draft Decree requires that once ecommerce platforms discover information about violations, they need to report the removal of the information within 48 hours.

The regulation is likely in place to protect consumers from things like sellers offering counterfeit goods, making false advertising claims, or simply acting fraudulently. It may also help regulatory agencies with real-time market monitoring.

However, in response, the American Chamber of Commerce in Hanoi (AmCham) argues that this rule isn’t practical for many businesses, as it doesn’t give them much time to verify information. Similarly, VECOM claims that it’s difficult to implement this requirement and that adding it may overwhelm ecommerce platforms that have large transaction volumes.

As a result, the business community has proposed that this 48-hour deadline only apply to serious cases or if the regulatory authority has a specific request. In turn, ordinary cases would be handled through periodic reporting.

The Business Community Wants to Remove Electronic Contract Authentication

The draft also states that electronic contracts between ecommerce platform owners and sellers, based on a platform-held-the-sale model that bypasses an intermediary payment service provider, need to be authenticated by a licensed organization.

Both AmCham and VECOM want to see this removed, as they believe it goes beyond the scope of authority granted by the E-commerce Law, and interferes with the platform’s and seller’s freedom to agree on authentication methods. Some businesses are also worried that adding an extra level of control may generate high costs and a technical burden.

Companies Seek Simplification for Amending and Supplementing Registration Documents

Finally, some organizations also feel that the procedures for amending and supplementing registration documents need to be simplified. Currently, regulations require platforms to change registration profiles for all changes, even the smallest ones.

VECOM proposes a clear classification where only core changes that impact security, consumer rights, and safety should be required to change registration profiles immediately. 

AmCham recommends that only material changes require immediate amendment, while technical changes or other routine updates need periodic updates every six months, to reduce the burden on businesses.

Our Take

Supporting Companies, While Also Protecting Consumers

While it’s clear that having a legal framework is needed for a growing ecommerce industry in Vietnam, introducing rules that make life harder for business owners isn’t the best idea.

If businesses have to overcome burdens, it makes it harder for the industry to flourish, and the growth could be stunted and bogged down by too many harsh regulations.

However, if there’s no framework or rules in place, consumer protection may be subpar, which may drive some online shoppers away, which could also hold back the industry from reaching its true potential. As a result, it’s important that Vietnam gets this right and finds the right balance between support for businesses and platforms and protection for customers.

Hopefully, the government and businesses in Vietnam are able to come together on rules and regulations that protect consumers and keep companies accountable, while also ensuring that companies can operate with enough freedom.