E-commerce in Vietnam: Current Developments and Legal Solutions

Abstract

This article analyzes the current development of e-commerce in Vietnam from a legal perspective, based on an assessment of market size, market structure, and the level of completeness of the existing legal framework. The findings indicate that, despite maintaining a high growth rate, Vietnam's e-commerce sector continues to exhibit several structural challenges: (i) a high level of market concentration in a small number of foreign platforms; (ii) uneven development across regions; (iii) widespread legal violations and persistent shortcomings in consumer protection; (iv) the lack of specificity in the legal framework governing cross-border e-commerce activities; and (v) limited effectiveness in tax administration. The Law on E-commerce 2025 represents a significant step toward establishing a more unified and modern legal framework for e-commerce. However, this study argues that the effectiveness of the law will largely depend on its concretization through implementing regulations and the capacity for practical enforcement. On that basis, the article proposes a set of legal reforms aimed at strengthening platform regulation, enhancing enforcement effectiveness, promoting the use of technology in monitoring and supervision, and expanding international cooperation in the governance of cross-border e-commerce..