On December 10, 2025, Vietnam’s National Assembly enacted Law No. 139/2025/QH15 amending the Law on Insurance Business. The amendment, effective from January 1, 2026, introduces various changes in an effort to lift restrictions and hurdles for insurance businesses. Key points that may impact the activities of stakeholders in Vietnam’s insurance market are highlighted below. Management Personnel Qualifications To broaden the talent pool while ensuring competency standards, the amended law opens up the positions of director or general director to more candidates. Previously, candidates were required to hold either (i) a university degree or higher in insurance or (ii) a university degree in another discipline and an insurance certificate issued by a qualified insurance training institution. Now, candidates holding a university degree or higher in economics, finance, banking, law, business administration, accounting, or auditing, with at least one insurance‑related module, are also accepted. These changes are expected to mitigate the ongoing challenges faced by insurers in recruiting suitably qualified candidates for key executive positions, while still maintaining appropriate professional standards. Fewer Registrations for Insurance Businesses As part of the legislature’s broader initiative to reduce administrative burdens across all business sectors, the amended Law on Insurance Business relaxes registration requirements for the insurance industry, notably: Insurance enterprises and foreign non‑life insurance branches are no longer required to register and obtain prior approval from the Ministry of Finance (MOF) for their methodologies and bases for calculating premiums for motor vehicle insurance products (excluding compulsory civil liability insurance for motor vehicle owners). Instead, insurance enterprises are now only required to notify the MOF before applying or amending these methodologies. While life insurers must continue to register with the MOF their principles for separating owners’ equity from insurance premium funds, non‑life insurance enterprises and foreign non‑life insurance branches are now only required to notify

On January 20, 2026, Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance (MOF) issued Decision No. 96/QD-BTC to formally launch pilot administrative procedures for licensing crypto asset trading market services in Vietnam. The decision took immediate effect and implements the government’s pilot crypto asset market program under Resolution No. 05/2025/NQ-CP. Notably, competent authorities have now begun accepting license applications, marking the first time Vietnam has operationalized a licensing pathway for crypto trading market operators. Administrative Procedures and Applications The decision stipulates procedures for (i) granting, (ii) adjusting, and (iii) revoking licenses to provide services for organizing crypto asset trading markets. It provides detailed, step-by-step guidance for each procedure, including dossier composition, internal review stages, coordination mechanisms, and statutory timelines. These procedures apply specifically to entities seeking to organize and operate crypto asset trading markets within Vietnam’s pilot regulatory framework. The MOF is the authority responsible for reviewing and deciding on the above procedures, with the State Securities Commission acting as the receiving, coordinating, and procedural focal point. For licensing applications, the MOF will coordinate with multiple authorities, including the State Bank of Vietnam and the Ministry of Public Security, particularly in relation to anti-money laundering, cybersecurity, system safety, and risk control requirements. Applications may be submitted in person, by post, or electronically via the National Public Service Portal or the administrative procedure information system, in line with applicable regulations. Statutory processing timelines vary depending on the specific procedure and stage involved. For applications to obtain a license to organize a crypto asset trading market, the process is conducted in multiple phases: The MOF will issue an initial written response within 20 working days from receipt of a complete and valid initial dossier, following which, upon submission of the full set of required documents, the MOF will complete substantive review and issue the license

Employment law specialists from Tilleke & Gibbins in Vietnam have contributed the Vietnam chapter to the Guide to Restructuring a Cross-Border Workforce from International Employment Lawyer. This comprehensive global guide, covering 50 jurisdictions worldwide, addresses the complex issue of workplace restructurings, with a particular focus on the needs of multinational companies. The Vietnam chapter was authored by partner Kien Trung Trinh, counsel Sarah Galeski, and associates Dung Thi Phuong Le and Nguyen Thi Huong Nguyen. The Q&A-style chapter provides in-depth analysis of key areas related to workplace restructuring, including: Reduction in workforce; Restructuring or reorganization of the business; Changing terms and conditions; and Areas to watch. A PDF of the Vietnam chapter can be downloaded through the button below. Tilleke & Gibbins also contributed the Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand chapters to the Guide to Restructuring a Cross-Border Workforce 2026. To browse the full guide for all 45 jurisdictions, please visit the International Employment Lawyer website.

Vietnam has taken a decisive step into the global artificial intelligence regulatory landscape with the promulgation of the Law on Artificial Intelligence No. 134/2025/QH15 (AI Law), adopted on December 10, 2025, and effective from March 1, 2026. As one of the earliest comprehensive, standalone AI statutes in Southeast Asia, the AI Law signals Vietnam’s ambition to position itself as both an innovation-friendly and governance-conscious AI market. In doing so, the legislature has also streamlined Vietnam’s AI regulatory architecture. The AI Law repeals most AI-related provisions previously embedded in the Law on Digital Technology Industry No. 71/2025/QH15, consolidating AI governance under a single, unified legal framework. This structural move underscores an intent to provide greater regulatory clarity and coherence for businesses operating across the AI value chain. Against this backdrop, the key question for AI developers, providers, deployers, and governance teams is how the new risk-based framework will shape compliance expectations, operational decisions, and governance design in practice. This article examines the new AI Law through that practical lens, focusing on what it means for AI businesses operating in or into Vietnam. Scope of Application The AI Law applies broadly to Vietnamese organizations and individuals, as well as foreign entities that participate in AI-related activities within Vietnam. The law expressly excludes AI activities conducted solely for national defense, security, and cryptography purposes. A defining feature of the AI Law is that it regulates by role, not by industry. It distinguishes between: Developers, who design, build, train, test, or fine-tune AI models and have direct control over the technical methods, training data, or model parameters; Providers, who place AI systems on the market or put them into use under their own names; Deployers, who use AI systems under their control in professional, commercial, or service-provision activities; Users, who interact with AI