Vietnam has adopted national legislation based on or influenced by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Signatures.

It is reported that Vietnam prohibits commercial importation of some products, including encryption devices and encryption software. This applies despite Vietnam's agreement in its WTO Accession Protocol to the principle of no restriction or regulation on commercially traded goods equipped with encryption technology.

In November 2013, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree No. 187/2013/ND-CP, implementing the Commercial Law on international trade in goods and the activities of international agents involved in buying, selling, outsourcing, and transiting goods. The Decree outlined products that were either banned from importation or required an import licence, assigning regulatory oversight to specific entities. Annex 1 of the Decree identified goods banned from import, including:
(i) Used electronic products, regulated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT);
(ii) Used IT products, regulated by the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC);
(iii) Specific radio equipment and radio wave-applied devices, also regulated by MIC.
To facilitate the implementation of this Decree, MOIT issued Circular No. 04/2014/TT-BCT in January 2014, which provided additional details and a more specific list of used products prohibited from import. Annexe 1 of the Circular included:
(i) Personal laptops (HS 8471);
(ii) Cellphones (HS 8517);
(iii) Digital cameras (HS 8525);
(iv) Video game consoles and machines (HS 9504).
In May 2018, the Government introduced Decree No. 69/2018/ND-CP, which replaced Decree No. 187/2013/ND-CP and reallocated the list of import licensing requirements to Annex 3. Subsequently, on 15 June 2018, MOIT replaced Circular No. 04/2014/TT-BCT with Circular No. 12/2018/TT-BCT, though the list of banned electronic products remained unchanged.

In July 2012, the Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications introduced Circular No.11/2012/TT-BTTTT, which amended the list of prohibited imported IT products, with some exceptions. This was further extended and detailed by Circular 31/2015/TT-BTTTT, effective from December 15, 2015. This extension included additional guidelines for implementing the ban. Subsequently, on October 15, 2018, following Decree 69/2018/ND-CP, the Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications issued Circular No. 11/2018/TT-BTTTT, providing a comprehensive list of banned imported IT products. This new circular replaced Annex 1 of Circular 31/2015/TT-BTTTT and prohibited the import of the following items:
- HS8443: Printing machinery used for printing using plates, cylinders, and other printing components, excluding certain machines.
- HS8470: Calculating machines, pocket-size data recording and reproducing machines with calculating functions, and similar machines, excluding specific categories.
- HS8471: Automatic data processing machines, magnetic or optical readers, machines for transcribing data, and machines for processing data.
- HS8517: Telephone sets, wireless communication apparatus, and other transmission or reception devices, excluding specific categories.
- HS8518: Microphones, loudspeakers, headphones, amplifiers, and related devices.
- HS8525: Transmission apparatus for radio and television, as well as radar and radio remote control apparatus.
- HS8526: Radar apparatus, radio navigational aid apparatus, and radio remote control apparatus.
- HS8527: Reception apparatus for radio and broadcasting, with or without sound recording apparatus.
- HS8528: Reception apparatus for television and related devices.
- HS8534: Printed circuits.
- HS8540: Thermionic, cold cathode, or photocathode valves and tubes, including cathode-ray television picture tubes.
- HS8544: Insulated wires, cables, and other electric conductors, including optical fibre cables.

In November 2013, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree No. 187/2013/ND-CP on the implementation of Commercial Law regarding international trade in goods and activities of international agents relating to buying, selling, outsourcing, and transiting of goods. The Decree detailed a list of products to be banned from importation or to be required with an import license. Annex 2 of Decree 187/2013/ND-CP listed goods that require an import license. These include (i) Goods that need import control according to the provisions of international treaties to which Vietnam is a member; (ii) Radio transmitting and receiving equipment with a frequency band from 9 KHz to 400 GHz, with a capacity of 60 mW or more. In May 2018, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree No. 69/2018/ND-CP on Detailed provisions on a number of articles of the Commercial Law. The Decree replaced Decree No. 187. However, the list of import licensing requirements is reallocated to Annex 3 of the Decree 69/2018/ND-CP.

Vietnam's Law on Network Information Security (Law 86/2015/QH13), effective from July 1, 2016, places restrictions and conditions on entities involved in the import, export, and trade of network information security products with encryption capabilities. This law requires importers to navigate a complex process for obtaining import permits involving licenses, certificates of conformity, product specifications, commercial invoices, and contracts.

Decree No.108/2016/ND-CP further outlines the conditions for trading network information security products and services in accordance with Law No. 86/2015/QH13. Art. 4.2 designates the Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) to compile a list of network information security products requiring import licenses. Following the issuance of the decree, MIC introduced Circular No.13/2018/TT-BTTTT, which details the list of network information security products necessitating import licenses and outlines the associated procedures and required documentation. The specific network information security products subject to import licensing include (i) HS847130 (portable digital automatic data processing machines); (ii) HS847141 (automatic data processing machines and units); (iii) HS847149 (digital automatic data processing machines and units)

Decree No. 58/2016/ND-CP, issued in July 2016, regulates the sale and provision of civil encryption products and services, as well as the export and import of such products. Under this Decree, corporations seeking to export or import civil encryption products must obtain an export and import licence.
Annex 1 of the Decree specifies the products and services within its scope, including:
-Biometric encryption products, encryption key management or storage items;
-Cryptographic components of a PKI system;
-Stored data security products;
-Online data security products;
-IP and channel security products;
-Analog and digital voice security products;
-Wireless security products;
-Facsimile and telegraph security products;
-Information protection services utilising civil
encryption products;
-Civil encryption testing and evaluation services;
-Network data security consulting services utilising civil encryption products.
Annex 2 outlines civil encryption products requiring export/import licences, listed under the following HS codes: HS 8443, HS 8471, HS 8473, HS 8517, HS 8523, HS 8525, HS 8526, HS 8529, HS 8542, and HS 854.
The National Agency of Cryptography and Information Security (NACIS) is currently drafting a new decree to amend Decree No. 58/2016/ND-CP, addressing various issues related to cyber information security, including the export and import of civil encryption products.

Law No. 86/2015/QH13 imposes restrictions and conditions on entities engaging in the import, export, and trade of various network information security products with encryption capabilities. It has been reported that applications for import permits are cumbersome and involve licenses, certificates of conformity, product specifications, copies of commercial invoices, and copies of commercial contracts or documentary evidence. In addition, Decree No.108/2016/ND-CP stipulates in detail the conditions for trade in network information security products and services related to Law No. 86/2015/Qh13. According to Art. 4.2 of the Decree, the Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) is assigned to make a list of network information security products to be imported upon license. Upon the Decree, MIC issued Circular No.13/2018/TT-BTTTT. The Circular regulates the list of network information security products to be imported upon licenses and procedures, as well as dossiers for import licensing. The information network security products to be imported upon license include (i) HS847130 (portable digital automatic data processing machines); (ii) HS847141 (automatic data processing machines and units); (iii) HS847149 (digital automatic data processing machines and units).

Decree No. 58/2016/ND-CP dated July 2016 regulates the sale and provision of civil encryption products and services as well as the export or import of civil encryption products. According to the Decree, corporations who want to export and import civil encryption products are requested to apply for the export and import license. Annex 1 of the Decree lists products and services within the scope of the decree, including:
-Biometric encryption products, encryption key management or storage items;
-Cryptographic components of a PKI system;
-Stored data security products;
-Online data security products;
-IP and channel security products;
-Analog and digital voice security products;
-Wireless security products;
-Facsimile and telegraph security products;
-Information protection services utilising civil
encryption products;
-Civil encryption testing and evaluation services;
-Network data security consulting services utilising civil encryption products.
In addition, Annex 2 of the Decree lists civil encryption products to be exported and imported under license: HS8443, HS 8471, HS8473, HS 8517, HS8523, HS8525, HS8526, HS 8529, HS8542, HS854.
The National Agency of Cryptography and Information Security (NACIS) is currently drafting a new decree to amend Decree No. 58/2016/ND-CP, addressing various issues related to cyber information security, including the export and import of civil encryption products.

Self-certification is allowed in the country for radio transmission, electromagnetic interference (EMI) or electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). Vietnam allows foreign companies to self-certify that they comply with these standards, through a Supplier Declaration of Conformity (SDoC). The National technical regulation QCVN 118:2018/BTTTT requires conformity testing and conformity declaration. The supplier or manufacturer of the equipment declares the equipment meets the technical and administrative requirements. A testing laboratory recognized by the regulator tests the equipment, and the supplier registers this equipment with the regulator. These procedures are based on ISO/IEC 17050, with some modifications and requirements to be in line with the legislation framework of goods and products quality control of Vietnam.

Chapter 2 of the Law on Cybersecurity, which entered into force in January 2019, regulates information systems for national security. Article 10.2 defines important information systems for national security, including:
- Military, security, diplomatic and cypher information systems;
- Information systems that store and process information belonging to state secrets;
- The information system serving the storage and preservation of artefacts and documents of significant value;
- Information systems serving the preservation of materials and substances particularly dangerous to humans and the ecological environment;
- Information systems serving the preservation, manufacturing and management of facilities of other special importance related to national security;
- Important information systems serving operations of central agencies and organisations;
- National information systems in the fields of energy, finance, banking, telecommunications, transportation, natural resources and environment, chemicals, health, culture, and journalism;
- Automatic control and monitoring systems at important works related to national security, an important goal of national security.
According to Arts. 11-13, important information systems need impact assessment, inspection, and control conducted by special forces to protect network security from the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Defence, and the Government Cipher Committee.

Art. 36 of Law No. 86/2015/QH13 states that the responsibilities of users of cryptographic products and services include providing the necessary information on cryptographic keys to the competent state authorities upon request. The Law also introduces licensing requirements for tools that offer encryption as a primary function.

Sections 35 and 60 of Decree No. 52/2013/ND-CP provide that certain E-commerce services need to be licensed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade: E-commerce websites that permit participants to sell and purchase goods according to the method of goods exchange; evaluation and certification of personal data protection policies of traders, organisations and individuals participating in e-commerce activities; and certification of e-contracts.
In addition, Art. 44 states that traders and organisations providing online auction services must register the provision of auction services, and under Art. 52, traders, organisations or individuals may set up sales e-commerce websites if, among other conditions, they have notified the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Also, pursuant to the provisions of Art. 61, one of the conditions for conducting credit rating of e-commerce websites is being a trader or an organisation established under Vietnamese law.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) issued Circular No.59/2015/TT-BCT to regulate the management of e-commerce activities via mobile applications. The circular strictly regulates the operation of e-commerce on mobile applications, which requires registration to MOIT. The circular applies to all Vietnamese individuals and organisations, foreigners who reside in Vietnam, and foreigners and organisations who have a presence in Vietnam through investment, setting up branches, or representative offices.

Decree No. 13/2023/ND-CP provides a comprehensive regime of data protection in Vietnam. The Decree establishes data protection principles, data subject rights, and data controller and data processor obligations, among other things. More specifically, the Decree introduces restrictions on cross-border data transfers and obligations for data processing, including the purchase and sale of personal information, as well as marketing and advertising. The Decree is accompanied by other legislation which provides personal data protection, including the Law on Cyber Information Security No. 86/2015/QH13, the Law on Cybersecurity No. 24/2018/QH14, and Law No. 59/2010QH12 of 17 November 2010 on Protection of Consumers' Rights.