06-07-26 MTParners
Enterprises, household businesses, and individual sellers on e-commerce platforms must verify their identity via VNeID; livestream selling and affiliate marketing are now formally regulated by law.
From 1 July 2026, the Law on E-Commerce No. 122/2025/QH15 — the first statute to comprehensively regulate e-commerce activities in Vietnam — officially takes effect. All domestic and foreign organizations and individuals doing business on e-commerce platforms in Vietnam must verify their identity before opening an online store; platform operators are responsible for controlling counterfeit goods and disclosing the criteria of their display algorithms. Businesses have a transition period only until 30 June 2027 to achieve full compliance with the new requirements.
Under Article 21 of the E-Commerce Law 2025, sellers on intermediary e-commerce platforms and on social networks engaged in e-commerce must provide information to the platform operator for identity verification before being permitted to sell. Enterprises and household businesses must additionally provide their name and place of business, and publicly disclose information on their services and on the quality of their products and goods in accordance with specialized legislation.
The most technology-driven feature of the statute is that seller identification is carried out through the national electronic identification and authentication system (VNeID). Verification requires the consent of the holder of the electronic identity — confirmed via the VNeID application, an SMS message sent to the registered phone number, or another method prescribed by law. In other words, from 1 July 2026, “three-no” storefronts — no name, no address, no accountability — will no longer have a place on lawful e-commerce platforms.
For the first time, livestream selling has been codified. Under Article 24, livestream sellers must provide information to the platform operator for identity verification. Notably, Article 23 requires that, before a livestream takes place, the seller must provide the livestreamer with full documentation proving satisfaction of investment and business conditions for conditional business lines, as well as documents evidencing product and goods quality as required by law.
Affiliate marketers are not exempt either: Article 26 requires identity verification before conducting affiliate marketing activities. This is a clear warning to KOLs, KOCs, and affiliate networks promoting products without verifying their origin and quality.
Article 15 of the E-Commerce Law 2025 imposes a series of new responsibilities on platform operators: fully and accurately publishing the information required under Article 11 (operator information, privacy policy, rights and obligations of the parties, and complaint-handling procedures); submitting periodic online reports through the E-Commerce Activity Management System; inspecting, reviewing, and promptly removing infringing goods; and — notably — disclosing the principal criteria of any algorithm used to restrict or prioritize the display of goods and services.
In parallel, Article 6 strictly prohibits trading in, or facilitating others’ trading in, prohibited goods, counterfeit goods, goods infringing intellectual property rights, smuggled goods, and goods of unclear origin on e-commerce platforms.
Under Article 39, depending on the nature and severity of the violation, organizations and individuals may face administrative penalties; blocking of access or suspension of the platform’s transaction functions; removal of content and termination of infringing accounts; mandatory remediation and compensation for damage; and, where there are signs of criminality, potential criminal prosecution.
As for transitional provisions, Article 41 allows e-commerce websites and applications whose notification or registration was confirmed before 1 July 2026 to continue operating under their existing filings until 30 June 2027. After that date, all platforms must fully comply with the new regulations.
For millions of online sellers, identity verification means higher compliance costs — but also greater market trust: consumers will know exactly who they are buying from and to whom complaints should be addressed. For manufacturers and authorized distributors, this is an opportunity to eliminate unfair competition from counterfeit and imitation goods. Conversely, undocumented “hit-and-run” selling via social media and livestreams will face direct legal risk. Major e-commerce platforms have already begun requiring sellers to complete VNeID identification — businesses that delay may have their storefronts suspended.
First, review all storefronts across platforms: complete identity verification via VNeID and accurately update business names, places of business, and product information. Second, standardize product legal dossiers — business licenses for conditional business lines and quality declaration documents — before organizing livestream sales. Third, review contracts with KOLs, KOCs, and affiliate partners, adding clauses on identity verification and information-provision responsibilities. Fourth, monitor forthcoming implementing decrees and circulars to stay current with reporting and data-retention obligations.
MT & Partners Law Firm, with its team of lawyers experienced in corporate and e-commerce law, stands ready to assist clients with compliance reviews, building lawful online sales processes, and resolving arising legal issues. Contact our hotline 0987140772 or email info@mtpartners.vn for advice.
(*) This article is for reference only and does not substitute for specific legal advice.
Keywords: Vietnam E-Commerce Law 2025, Law No. 122/2025/QH15, online selling 2026, seller identity verification, VNeID identification, livestream selling, affiliate marketing, e-commerce platform liability, counterfeit goods on e-commerce platforms, corporate lawyer Vietnam, e-commerce legal advice, MT & Partners.
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