An ecommerce license Vietnam application involves two distinct approvals that are frequently conflated: the business licence permitting a foreign-invested company to conduct e-commerce activity, and the registration or notification of the website or application itself with the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Foreign founders also face payment, data and seller-verification obligations that sit outside the licensing file altogether. This guide sets out the six rules that determine whether a platform can lawfully launch.
Ecommerce License Vietnam: The Business Licence Layer
Under Decree 09/2018/ND-CP, e-commerce trading activity by a foreign-invested company requires a business licence granted by the provincial Department of Industry and Trade, with the opinion of the Ministry of Industry and Trade where the activity is not covered by an open commitment.
The distinction that matters is between selling your own goods online, operating a marketplace on which third parties sell, and providing software to merchants. The first two require the ecommerce license Vietnam authorities grant; pure software licensing to merchants generally does not, which is why the business model description in the application is decisive.
Ecommerce License Vietnam: Platform Notification and Registration
A sales website through which the owner sells its own goods must be notified to the Ministry of Industry and Trade. A website or application providing e-commerce services, including marketplaces, online auction and online promotion platforms, must be registered, which is a heavier process requiring the operating rules, dispute resolution mechanism and information security policy.
The registration number and logo must be displayed on the platform. Operating without it is a frequent enforcement target, and app store listings have been used as evidence of the launch date.
Ecommerce License Vietnam: Seller Verification Duties
Marketplace operators must verify and retain the identity information of sellers, including business registration or personal identification, and must publish a mechanism for receiving and handling consumer complaints. Operators are expected to remove listings of prohibited goods promptly on notice.
Enforcement has tightened as the market has matured, and the practical exposure for an operator is joint responsibility for counterfeit and prohibited goods sold through the platform. Building verification into onboarding is materially cheaper than retrofitting it after an inspection.
Ecommerce License Vietnam: Payments and Intermediary Services
Collecting payment from consumers and settling to sellers is a payment intermediary activity and requires either a licence from the State Bank of Vietnam or partnership with a licensed provider. Most foreign platforms take the partnership route because the licensing conditions for intermediary payment services are demanding.
Cross-border settlement adds foreign exchange considerations, and where the operator is offshore, the tax withholding position for payments to it must be assessed. Our note on the DICA account covers the capital account side for a locally incorporated operator.
Ecommerce License Vietnam: Data and Cybersecurity Obligations
Personal data processing is regulated, with obligations covering lawful basis, notice, cross-border transfer assessment and impact records. Platforms handling consumer data at scale should treat the cross-border transfer file as a launch deliverable rather than a later compliance project.
Certain services are also subject to data localisation and local representation expectations. For a foreign founder, the practical consequence is that a locally incorporated operating entity is usually simpler than serving Vietnam from an offshore platform, notwithstanding the additional licensing.
Ecommerce License Vietnam: Tax Registration and Withholding
Platform operators facilitating sales by individual sellers have declaration and withholding responsibilities in respect of those sellers, and offshore suppliers providing digital services into Vietnam are within the foreign supplier registration regime.
Modelling the tax position before launch matters because the margin assumptions in most platform business plans are built on gross merchandise value rather than net of withholding. Our guides on tax consulting and corporate income tax compliance set out the framework.
15 Things to Prepare Before Setting Up an FDI Company in Vietnam
A four-page pre-filing checklist covering structure and market access, capital and the DICA account, licensing and legalisation, work permits, and tax. Current to July 2026, including Decree 96/2026/ND-CP, Decree 219/2025/ND-CP and Decree 236/2025/ND-CP.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a foreign company own 100% of a Vietnamese e-commerce operator?
In most cases yes, subject to the business licence and to the specialised ministry’s opinion where the activity is not covered by an open commitment.
Is a marketplace treated differently from an own-goods store?
Yes. A marketplace provides e-commerce services and must be registered, with operating rules and complaint handling published.
Do social commerce sellers need to register?
Platforms enabling sales functions are treated as e-commerce services. Individual sellers have their own tax registration duties.
How long does licensing take?
Plan on two to four months end to end where ministry consultation is required, running platform registration in parallel with the business licence.
Launch Your Platform Lawfully
IVLF Advisors structures platform entities, obtains business licences, files platform registrations, and builds the seller verification, data and tax framework the model needs. See also our software company guide and the procedures of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Contact our team.
This article is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal advice for any specific case. Regulations may change – please consult a qualified professional before acting. Should further analysis be required, please contact one of our lawyers below.
