Marketing Channels in Vietnam and the 2026 Advertising Compliance Rules
In thirty months Vietnam moved selling online from a field with almost no dedicated legislation to one governed by four statutes at once: a new advertising law, a data protection law, an e-commerce law and a decree on social platforms. From 1 January 2026 KOLs and KOCs appear in Vietnamese law for the first time, with their own duties and liability.
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In .docx format, free and without sign-up. The Vietnamese version prevails within Vietnam; the Chinese and English versions are for comprehension.
Key compliance points
- KOLs and KOCs now have a statutory identity and duties. The amended law inserts Article 15a after Article 15, creating the role of advertising content transmitter: declare the content is advertising before and during; do not introduce a product not used or not clearly understood; verify the advertiser’s documentation; answer in law for false or misleading content.
- Undisclosed sponsorship has been unlawful since 1 July 2024, not since 2026. The consumer protection law already lists, among prohibited conduct, a digital platform operator using influencers without disclosing the sponsorship. The 2026 advertising law extends that position rather than creating it — deferring remediation because “the new rule has not arrived” is a misreading.
- Screening the media list moves from risk preference to legal duty. The law requires you not to cooperate with advertising organisations, individuals, websites, social networks, applications, digital platforms, accounts, content channels, community pages or groups that an authority has publicly notified as being in breach. Separately, confirm the account is verified — an unverified account cannot publish at all.
Legal basis
| Instrument | Substance | Effective |
|---|---|---|
| Luật 75/2025/QH15 | Amended Advertising Law: new Article 15a on the rights and duties of advertising content transmitters; internet advertising at Article 23 | 2026-01-01 |
| Luật 19/2023/QH15 | Consumer protection: prohibits digital platform operators using influencers without disclosing sponsorship | 2024-07-01 |
| Nghị định 147/2024/NĐ-CP | Social accounts must be verified by phone number or personal ID; unverified accounts may not post, livestream, comment or share | 2024-12-25 |
| Luật 91/2025/QH15 · Nghị định 356/2025/NĐ-CP | Personal data protection: rights to know, consent, access, rectify and request erasure; reaches foreign organisations processing Vietnamese citizens’ data | 2026-01-01 |
| Luật 122/2025/QH15 | Vietnam’s first dedicated e-commerce statute, in 7 chapters and 41 articles | 2026-07-01 |
| Luật 44/2019/QH14 | Advertising prohibited at 15% ABV and above; alcohol from 5.5% to under 15% and beer at 5.5% and above restricted under Article 12 | 2020-01-01 |
Establish these before use
- 1Whether the partner account is verified under Decree 147/2024/NĐ-CP
- 2Whether product compliance documents were actually handed to the transmitter, with proof of delivery kept
- 3Whether the contract states who applies the advertising identifier, in what form, and who bears the tax obligation
- 4Whether platform agreements straddling 1 July 2026 include a change-of-law mechanism
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Disclaimer
This document is general reference material and does not constitute legal advice. Rules vary with sector, locality and the specific arrangement; have a Vietnamese-qualified lawyer or tax practitioner review your circumstances before relying on it. Vietnamese law changed frequently across 2025–2026 — confirm the position remains current before use.