Vietnam's 5-Year Crypto Pilot Program (2025‑2029): Rules, Opportunities & Risks
Vietnam's five‑year crypto pilot, launched in 2025, defines legal rules, licensing steps and market outlook, helping investors and providers navigate the new landscape.
When you examine Vietnam crypto program 2025, the regulatory framework that draws a line between crypto trading and crypto payments in Vietnam starting this year, the picture clears up fast. Also known as Vietnam's 2025 crypto framework, it forces platforms to pick a side: either run a licensed exchange for trade or become a payment service that can only move crypto for goods and services. This split is a core Vietnam crypto program 2025 principle, and it sets the stage for everything else in the ecosystem.
The first pillar is crypto trading, the activity of buying, selling or swapping crypto assets on an exchange. Under the new rules, every exchange must obtain a trading license, implement KYC/AML checks, and report suspicious activity to the State Bank of Vietnam. The second pillar, crypto payment, the use of cryptocurrencies to settle purchases or transfer value for goods and services, is limited to entities that hold a payment service provider (PSP) license. Unlike trading, payment operators cannot hold user deposits for speculation and must keep transaction values below the set threshold. Both pillars are anchored by Resolution 05/2025, the official decree that outlines licensing steps, reporting duties and penalty structures for non‑compliance. This resolution essentially tells businesses: choose your lane, get the right paperwork, and stay transparent.
If you run a crypto startup, the Digital Technology Industry Law also plays a role. It classifies blockchain projects as “digital technology enterprises,” granting them tax incentives only when they comply with the trading or payment split. The law also mandates annual audits, which means your compliance team needs to keep detailed logs of every trade or payment flow. Ignoring these audits can trigger hefty fines or even a forced shutdown. In practice, many firms set up two legal entities: one to handle exchange operations and another to manage merchant payments, each with its own license and compliance checklist.
From a user perspective, these rules affect how you can move crypto. If you just want to hold Bitcoin for long‑term appreciation, you’ll likely interact with a licensed exchange that falls under the crypto trading regime. If you’re a freelancer getting paid in crypto, you’ll need a PSP‑approved wallet that respects the payment limits. Both paths require identity verification, but the depth varies: trading platforms demand full KYC, while payment services might accept a lighter “digital identity” verification, especially if they use decentralized identifiers (DIDs) to protect privacy.
All of this creates a clear map of responsibilities, risks, and opportunities in Vietnam’s crypto space. Below you’ll find articles that break down each piece—how to get a trading license, what the payment caps look like, the impact of Resolution 05/2025, and real‑world case studies of businesses that have navigated the split successfully. Dive in to see how the Vietnam crypto program 2025 shapes the market and what steps you should take next.
Vietnam's five‑year crypto pilot, launched in 2025, defines legal rules, licensing steps and market outlook, helping investors and providers navigate the new landscape.