Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Vietnam has officially recognized Bitcoin and other crypto currencies as digital assets, following the passage of a landmark law on digital technology.
The country’s National Assembly approved the Digital Technology Industry Law on June 14, 2025, with the legislation set to take effect on January 1, 2026.
The new law provides a legal framework for digital assets by categorizing them into two main types: virtual assets and crypto assets. Crypto assets are defined as digital instruments that rely on encryption and blockchain technology for their creation, issuance, storage, and transfer. This includes tokens used for transaction validation and ownership verification within distributed networks.
Virtual assets, on the other hand, are primarily used for trading or investment purposes. This category excludes regulated instruments such as securities, stablecoins, central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), and other financial products.
While both types of assets are based on digital or encryption technology for validation and transfer, they fall outside the scope of traditional financial instruments.
Under the new law, the Vietnamese government is now tasked with developing detailed technical guidelines, including business requirements, asset classification, and oversight mechanisms for both asset categories.
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Beyond recognizing Bitcoin (BTC), the law also includes provisions to support the integration of blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies nationwide. This move is expected to bolster Vietnam’s digital infrastructure and foster further innovation.
The legislation also mandates compliance with cybersecurity and anti-money laundering (AML) standards in line with global benchmarks, addressing concerns raised by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
While not a fully comprehensive regulatory framework, the law marks a major step forward in Vietnam’s efforts to manage the country’s rapidly growing crypto sector. According to blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis, Vietnam currently ranks fifth globally in crypto adoption, reflecting strong domestic demand.
This legislation signals not just regulatory clarity, but also Vietnam’s ambition to position itself as a rising hub for digital innovation on the global stage.
(Raidi/Agung)
