As part of our ongoing effort to keep members informed, we are pleased to share the most relevant updates in Vietnam across Legal, Tax, Accounting, Banking, and HR. These insights are contributed by our GBA members, bringing practical expertise and market perspectives to support the business community in navigating regulatory developments and economic trends.
1. Vietnam’s Energy Opportunity: From Market Potential to Investable Projects
- Vietnam’s expanding energy market is being shaped by rising electricity demand, industrial and manufacturing growth, data-centre development and decarbonization requirements, alongside the revised Power Development Plan VIII (PDP8) and its increased ambitions for renewable energy, storage, grid infrastructure and nuclear power.
- Market-entry opportunities extend beyond wind and solar to battery energy storage systems (BESS), transmission and grid infrastructure, direct power arrangements, LNG and gas-to-power, industrial energy systems, engineering, technology and project-management services.
- A disciplined entry strategy begins with a clear investment thesis, followed by careful selection and due diligence of potential Vietnamese partners and projects before material capital is committed.
- Key project considerations include planning and investment approvals, ownership, land, grid connection, permitting, offtake, technical feasibility, financing, project economics and implementation timelines.
- Developments in direct electricity trading are supporting demand-led models combining generation, storage, grid access and corporate electricity demand.
- Potential entry structures include acquisitions, joint ventures, portfolio or staged investments, strategic minority investments and service-led entry, with grid, storage and longer-term nuclear opportunities forming part of the wider energy ecosystem. Read more here
Sourced by Dr. Oliver Massmann, Partner & General Director of Duane Morris Vietnam LLC
2. Decree 274/2026 Investor-selection Rules
- Decree 274/2026 consolidates the rules on investor selection for business investment projects into a single framework.
- It applies to land-using projects and projects requiring investor selection under specialised laws.
- The Decree clarifies projects subject to bidding and cases where investor selection through bidding is not required.
- New rules cover project eligibility, land suitability and land-use efficiency assessments.
- Procedures for bidding, investor appointment, online bidding and supervision are streamlined. Transitional provisions address ongoing procedures and projects under the previous regulations. Read more here
Sourced by Ho Thuy Ngoc Tram, Partner and Le Thi Hong Dao, Associate of Frasers Law Company
3. Temporary Exit Suspension: New Tax Compliance Risks for Businesses and Entrepreneurs
- Vietnam’s Decree No. 252/2026/ND-CP, clarified by Official Dispatch No. 5622/CT-NVT dated 5 August 2026, introduces a clearer framework for Temporary Exit Suspension (TES), which prevents an individual from leaving Vietnam until the tax matter is resolved. TES is an administrative measure under the Law on Tax Administration rather than a penalty, and the framework now sets out more clearly when it applies and when it must be lifted.
- The rules are particularly relevant to businesses, legal representatives, beneficial owners, entrepreneurs and internationally mobile individuals. A taxpayer recorded as not operating at its registered address (Status 06) may face TES even without tax debt, if it does not restore or close its tax code within 120 days.
- For active businesses, TES generally applies where overdue tax reaches VND 50 million for household and individual businesses, or VND 500 million for enterprises, cooperatives and unions of cooperatives, and has been outstanding for at least 120 days.
- The tax authority must give a warning first. Stricter rules apply to foreign individuals and Vietnamese citizens living abroad, who may be suspended without that warning.
- The framework also sets out when a TES must be lifted, and the electronic systems should remove it within minutes of confirmed payment.
Businesses and entrepreneurs should therefore watch their tax debt, their tax registration status and the electronic tax notices, particularly before international travel.
Sourced by Leif D. Schneider, Attorney-at-Law of Luther Vietnam Law & Dr. Tino Haupt, Attorney-at-Law of Luther Vietnam Law
4. AI is Changing What Employers Look for in Senior Leaders
- AI is starting to appear in the expectations for roles that have little to do with technology. For senior positions in operations, finance, HR, sales and manufacturing, employers increasingly want leaders who understand how AI can improve their function, rather than leaving the topic entirely to IT.
- The expectation is also moving from awareness to application. Knowing AI terminology is becoming less relevant than being able to identify processes that can be improved, question existing ways of working, and demonstrate where technology has already delivered better or faster results.
- This is changing how executive experience is assessed. A strong track record remains essential, but employers are placing greater value on adaptability, learning speed and the ability to lead teams through technological change.
- The emerging profile is not necessarily an “AI expert”. It is an experienced functional leader who understands the business, embraces new technology, and knows where human judgment still matters.
Source by Sebastian Schlitter, Partner of contagi Vietnam