#VietnamCryptoPolicy Vietnam has recently made significant strides in its cryptocurrency policy, moving from a largely ambiguous "grey zone" to a more defined legal framework.
Here's a breakdown of the key developments and their implications:
Major Legislative Change:
* Legalization of Digital Assets: On June 14, 2025, Vietnam's National Assembly approved the Law on Digital Technology Industry. This landmark legislation officially legalizes digital assets and establishes a clear regulatory framework for them.
* Effective Date: The new law is set to take effect on January 1, 2026.
* Categorization of Digital Assets: The law categorizes digital assets into two main types:
* Virtual assets: Generally non-financial tokens, loyalty points, or gaming-related digital goods.
* Crypto assets: Encompass assets based on cryptographic and distributed ledger technologies, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and potentially NFTs.
* Exclusions: Crucially, the legislation explicitly separates these categories from securities, fiat-backed stablecoins, and Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), which remain outside this legislative scope.
* Recognition as Property: The new rules formally recognize cryptocurrencies as property under civil law.
* Regulatory Focus: The law emphasizes:
* Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Terrorism Financing (CTF) rules: This is crucial for Vietnam to address concerns from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and potentially be removed from its "grey list."
* Cybersecurity mandates.
* Licensing regime for exchanges: Expected to be mandated, requiring minimum capital and local offices.
* Tax rules tailored to digital assets.
**Current