Vietnam has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the world’s first country to enact standalone legislation specifically dedicated to the digital technology sector, officially legalizing cryptocurrency assets through the groundbreaking Law on Digital Technology Industry.
The National Assembly passed this comprehensive legislation on June 14, 2025, with full implementation scheduled for January 1, 2026, marking a pivotal moment for both Vietnam’s digital economy and the global cryptocurrency landscape.
New Law Splits Crypto Into Two Clear Categories
The legislation establishes a sophisticated two-tier classification system that distinguishes between “virtual assets” and “crypto assets,” providing unprecedented regulatory clarity for the digital asset ecosystem.
Virtual assets encompass non-financial tokens, loyalty points, and gaming-related digital goods, while crypto assets include blockchain-based currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, as well as potentially NFTs. Importantly, the law explicitly excludes securities, fiat-backed stablecoins, and Central Bank Digital Currencies from this framework, creating clear boundaries for different types of digital instruments.
This regulatory approach empowers the Vietnamese government to develop detailed implementation guidelines covering licensing requirements, compliance protocols, and robust consumer protection measures.
The legislation mandates strict Anti-Money Laundering standards aligned with international best practices, directly addressing Vietnam’s placement on the Financial Action Task Force gray list in 2023.
Complete Digital Transformation
While cryptocurrency legalization has captured global attention, Vietnam’s digital technology law represents a far more ambitious vision for comprehensive technological advancement.
The legislation establishes substantial incentives for emerging technology sectors including artificial intelligence, semiconductor development, and digital infrastructure expansion. These incentives encompass tax breaks, favorable land-use policies, and research and development subsidies, with particular focus on chip design companies and AI data centers.
The law mandates significant investment in human capital development, requiring provincial governments to establish comprehensive education and training programs while reforming national curricula to integrate digital technology skills from primary education levels. This holistic approach positions Vietnam not merely as a crypto-friendly jurisdiction, but as a comprehensive digital technology hub competing with regional powers like Singapore and South Korea.
The timing proves particularly strategic as Vietnam continues combating widespread cryptocurrency fraud that has plagued the market. Recent high-profile cases include the Matrix Chain exchange scam that defrauded investors of approximately $400 million, the BitMiner fake mining operation that stole $157,000 from over 200 victims, and the “Million Smiles” scheme that used fabricated spiritual claims to promote a fake cryptocurrency called Quantum Financial System, stealing $1.17 million from investors.
These cases underscore the critical importance of the new law’s consumer protection provisions and regulatory oversight in creating a safer environment for legitimate cryptocurrency activities. Vietnam’s decisive regulatory action positions the country as a potential Southeast Asian leader in blockchain innovation and digital asset adoption, potentially attracting institutional investors who have been awaiting regulatory clarity.
This unprecedented governmental commitment to the digital technology sector could significantly boost market confidence and establish Vietnam as a model for other nations considering comprehensive cryptocurrency legalization frameworks.