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.

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.

Pursuant to Art. 15.1 of Decree No. 25/2011/ND-CP, individuals subscribing to telecommunications services are required to provide telecommunication enterprises with specific information. This includes the subscriber's full name, date of birth, and, for Vietnamese citizens, the identity card number, along with the date and place of issuance. For foreign citizens, passport details must be provided.

Art. 14 of the Law on Cybersecurity provides that administrators of information systems, defined in Art. 2.8 as agencies, organisations, or individuals with direct management authority over an information system, together with domestic and foreign enterprises offering services on telecommunications networks, the Internet, and value added services in cyberspace, are required to implement managerial and technical measures to prevent, detect, block, and remove information containing the forms of content specified in Art. 13, whether on systems under their control or upon the request of specialised cybersecurity protection authorities; such content includes material propagandising against the State, inciting unrest, undermining security, or disrupting public order, as well as content that seeks to sabotage policies on national unity and socio economic development, or that infringes upon the lawful rights and interests of organisations and individuals.

Art. 79.2 of Decree No. 147/2024/ND-CP stipulates that telecommunications enterprises providing Internet services, as well as Internet service providers, are required to implement measures to monitor, collect, and identify information that contravenes the law within their technical infrastructures and applications. Such measures must be undertaken in accordance with the guidance and directives issued by the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam. In relation to infringements of copyright and intellectual property, these obligations must be fulfilled in compliance with the Law on Intellectual Property and other relevant legal provisions.

It is reported that Telegram was blocked in Vietnam between 25 May and 10 July 2025. The government is reported to have instructed internet service providers on 21 May to block the application, citing Telegram’s alleged failure to cooperate with state authorities in efforts to combat criminal activity on the platform. The ban is understood to have followed cybersecurity legislation enacted in 2018 and 2024, under which technology companies are reportedly required to register with local authorities, cooperate with government requests, store user data domestically, and provide such data to the authorities upon request.

In November 2024, the Government issued Decree No. 147/2024/ND-CP on the management, provision, and use of internet services and online information (Decree 147), which entered into force in December 2024. This decree replaced Decree No. 72/2013/ND-CP, retaining most of its original provisions while introducing new and revised regulations.
Under Art. 23 of Decree 147, foreign organisations, enterprises, and individuals providing cross-border information services to users in Vietnam—whether through domestic data hosting arrangements or when their platforms receive 100,000 or more regular monthly visits from Vietnam (based on a six-month average)—are required to cooperate with authorities in removing or blocking content deemed to include prohibited acts. These include activities such as opposing the State, threatening national security or public order, disseminating propaganda, promoting obscenity or pornography, offending national customs and traditions, defaming individuals or organisations, and advertising banned goods or services, as outlined in Art. 8 of the Cybersecurity Law.
Numerous press outlets have raised concerns about the broad scope and potentially far-reaching implications of Decree 147, particularly in relation to its expansive powers to block online content.

According to Art. 13 of Decree 181/2013/ND-CP, Vietnamese companies and individuals who want to place online advertisements on foreign websites or platforms must advertise via agents in Vietnam. In addition, Pursuant to Art. 14 of the Decree, foreign companies and individuals who want to place online advertisements on Vietnamese websites or platforms must do so via Vietnamese agents.

According to Art. 95.3 of Decree No.15/2020/ND-CP, a fine ranging from VND 50,000,000 to VND 70,000,000 (approx. 2,040 USD to 2,860 USD) shall be imposed for advertising email and internet message services using servers not located in Vietnam.