Vietnam - Digital Technology Law (71/2025/QH15)

Overview

The Law on Digital Technology Industry (Law No. 71/2025/QH15) provides the first dedicated, standalone statutory framework in Vietnam to govern the digital technology industry, covering digital technology production and services, semiconductor manufacturing, artificial intelligence systems, digital assets and concentrated digital technology zones. The National Assembly adopted the Law on 14 June 2025 and it was published in the Official Gazette; the law is scheduled to take effect on 1 January 2026. The Law aims to promote R&D, production and market development for domestic digital technology enterprises while balancing national security, consumer protection and risk management. For official publication and attributes see the Government Gazette and National Assembly library. Official Gazette entry for Law 71/2025/QH15 and National Assembly library record and PDF. (congbao.chinhphu.vn)

Definitions

The Law defines core terms used throughout the statute, including: "digital technology" (a set of scientific methods, technological processes and tools for producing, transmitting, collecting, processing, storing and exchanging digital information and for digitizing the physical world); "digital technology industry" (the ecosystem of enterprises, research institutes, infrastructure and services that design, produce, test, deploy, and maintain digital technologies and related physical devices); "concentrated digital technology zone" (designated geographic or administrative areas that host clusters of digital technology production, R&D and support services and that can receive statutory incentives); "digital asset" (a digital representation of value or rights subject to management under this Law and subordinate instruments); and terms specific to AI, semiconductor production and conformity assessment. These definitions establish the law’s scope and inform downstream implementing rules.

Governance and Institutional Framework

The Law assigns leading roles to the Government and specific ministries in coordination and implementation. The Ministry of Science and Technology (or its successor structure following the 2025 Government reorganisation) is charged with primary responsibility for drafting decrees, circulars and technical guidelines, for proposing a national programme for development of the digital technology industry, and for coordinating R&D, standards and industrial policy. The Ministry of Finance is tasked with drafting rules regulating digital assets and tax/incentive treatment. Other ministries with assigned roles include those responsible for planning and investment, industry and trade, labour and social affairs, national defence and public security (in areas overlapping state security), and provincial People's Committees for local implementation. The Government has adopted a plan to implement the Law, with timelines for subordinate legislation and agency responsibilities. For official implementation planning see the Government portal and Ministry communications. Government implementation plan (summary) and Ministry overview. (en.baochinhphu.vn)

Key Focus Areas

The Law concentrates regulatory and policy effort across several key areas: (1) industrial development and incentives – targeted tax, public procurement preferences and financial supports for R&D and production (notably for semiconductors and strategic digital technologies); (2) infrastructure and zoning – designation and governance of concentrated digital technology zones to host manufacturing, labs, and testing facilities; (3) human capital – policies to develop, retain and train high-quality digital technology talent; (4) standards, conformity assessment and quality assurance – mandatory conformity and registration for certain categories of hardware, semiconductor products and high-risk AI systems; (5) digital asset governance – classification, registration and management rules for digital assets under the law; (6) cybersecurity and model safety – obligations to ensure confidentiality, integrity and availability for systems that affect critical infrastructure or public safety; (7) transparency and reporting – enterprise disclosure obligations, reporting to regulators and public procurement transparency; and (8) market surveillance and enforcement – empowered inspectors, administrative penalties and escalation to criminal procedures where statutory thresholds are met. The law seeks to combine promotion measures with statutory guardrails to manage systemic and social risks associated with digital technologies.

Implementation Framework

Implementation depends on a package of subordinate instruments: Government decrees to detail implementation of key articles, ministerial circulars to provide technical guidance (for example, rules on concentrated digital technology zones, digital asset classification and AI risk categorization), and agency decisions to operationalise incentive schemes. The Government's approved plan assigns deadlines for drafting and submitting decrees and circulars (including a deadline for submission of draft decrees on specified topics prior to 30 September 2025 and circulars to take effect on 1 January 2026), and requires ministries to publish guidance, capacity-building and outreach to stakeholders. Enterprise registration, applications for incentives and zone recognition will follow procedures set out by ministries. See the Government plan and Ministry statements for details. Government plan summary. (en.baochinhphu.vn)

Monitoring and Evaluation

The Law requires regular monitoring by central ministries and provincial authorities, including periodic reporting on industry indicators (number of enterprises, R&D projects, employment and export performance), and mandates establishment of mechanisms to evaluate the effects of incentives and zone policies. Ministries will publish consolidated annual reviews and the Government will report on implementation progress to the National Assembly as required by transitional provisions. Market surveillance units will coordinate inspections, and designated lead agencies will maintain metrics for measuring progress toward objectives such as targets for enterprise counts and technological self-sufficiency. Stakeholder consultation and periodic revisions are anticipated through the Government’s implementation programme.

Penalties, Liability, and Appeals

The Law establishes administrative sanctions for non-compliance, including monetary fines calibrated by severity, orders to suspend operations or activities, revocation of zone recognition or incentive eligibility, and remedial obligations (e.g., product recalls, corrective technical measures). Serious violations that threaten national security, critical infrastructure or cause major harm may be referred to criminal authorities under applicable criminal law. The Law also preserves rights of entities to administrative review and judicial appeal under Vietnam's administrative procedures; subordinate instruments will define detailed sanctioning scales and appeal procedures.

Relationship to Other Instruments

The Law interacts with existing legal frameworks (e.g., laws on cybersecurity, data protection, enterprise taxation, intellectual property, foreign investment, national defence and state secrets). It provides transitional provisions to convert existing concentrated IT parks into concentrated digital technology zones and calls for amendment or alignment of related laws and resolutions within two years of the law’s effective date where necessary. The Ministry of Science and Technology has indicated that some AI-related provisions in this Law may be later supplemented or superseded by a dedicated AI law in development; the Law permits phased alignment with future sector-specific statutes. Official Gazette (publication details) and National Assembly materials provide transitional text. (congbao.chinhphu.vn)

International Alignment

The Law frames Vietnam’s policy choice to both align with international best practices for safe and responsible AI and digital industry governance and to pursue national priorities such as technological autonomy and industrial upgrading. The statute emphasises international cooperation (trade, standards and R&D partnerships) while enabling domestic support measures compatible with WTO obligations and international commitments. Implementing regulations will be reviewed to harmonise conformity assessment, testing protocols, and cross-border data or asset management in line with international technical standards. Ministry communications highlight the objective of integrating Vietnamese enterprises into global technology value chains. Ministry perspective. (english.mst.gov.vn)

Implementation Timeline

Sources and References