From October 2025, a range of new and significant policies will come into effect, directly impacting businesses, the market, and workers.

Among the most notable is the Corporate Income Tax Law 2025, recently promulgated by the National Assembly, which will be effective from October 1.

Under the new regulations, the standard corporate income tax rate will be 20%, with exceptions for preferential or specific cases. Businesses with annual revenue not exceeding VND3 billion (about $113,600) will be subject to a 15% rate, while a 17% rate will be applicable to those with revenue between VND3 billion and VND50 billion ($1.89 million). The revenue used as the basis for tax calculation will be determined by the immediately preceding corporate income tax period.

For oil and gas exploration, prospecting, and extraction activities, tax rates will range from 25% to 50%, depending on the specific conditions of each field, as decided by the Prime Minister.

Activities involving the extraction of rare and precious natural resources such as platinum, gold, silver, tin, tungsten, gemstones, and rare earth elements will be subject to a 50% tax rate. This rate will be reduced to 40%, if more than 70% of the mining area is located in an exceptionally difficult geographical area. This regulation aims to ensure fairness in tax policy while encouraging sustainable production and business practices.

The Law on Science, Technology, and Innovation, effective from October 1, encourages the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in research and development. However, it mandates that activities directly related to humans, such as those in healthcare, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence, must strictly comply with legal regulations and operate under human supervision.

Notably, the State will support businesses investing in equipment and allow expenditures on research and innovation to be included as deductible expenses when determining taxable income. This aims to encourage enterprises to invest more significantly in science and technology.

Abolishing the State gold monopoly

The Government has just issued Decree No. 232/2025/ND-CP, which amends and supplements a number of articles of Decree No. 24/2012/ND-CP dated April 3, 2012 on the management of gold business activities. The Decree will take effect from October 10.

Accordingly, the Decree officially abolishes the State's monopoly mechanism on the production of gold bars, as well as on the export and import of raw gold for gold bar production. The Decree expands its scope of regulation, adds a definition for gold bars, and stipulates that only qualified commercial banks and enterprises are allowed to produce them.

The Decree also clarifies that gold bar production is a conditional business activity and must be licensed by the State Bank of Vietnam. Furthermore, the Decree requires gold transactions of VND20 million ($757) per day or more to be paid via bank transfer; it also adds responsibilities for disclosing product standards, warranties, and storing and connecting data with the State Bank of Vietnam.

Application of additional corporate income tax

The new Government’s Decree No. 236/2025/ND-CP details a number of articles of the National Assembly’s Resolution No. 107/2023/QH15 dated November 29, 2023 on the application of additional corporate income tax in accordance with global anti-base erosion rules. The Decree will take effect from October 15.

Accordingly, taxpayers are constituent entities of multinational enterprise (MNE) groups whose annual revenue in the consolidated financial statements of the ultimate parent entity is equivalent to  €750 million (nearly $880 million) or more in at least two out of the four consecutive years preceding the financial year in which the tax obligation is determined, except for cases specifically excluded by regulation. For newly established MNE groups, if they have met the €750 million revenue threshold in at least two years within their operating period of less than four years, their constituent entities will also be subject to this tax.

Reduced reserve requirements for certain credit institutions

On August 12, the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) issued Circular No 23/2025/TT-NHNN, amending Circular 30/2019 on compulsory reserve requirements. The Circular 23 will take effect from October 1.

A notable point is that credit institutions supporting or compulsorily taking over commercial banks under special control will receive a 50% reduction in their compulsory reserve ratio, in accordance with the approved recovery and transfer plan.

The Circular also adds regulations for policy banks and renames "State Bank of Vietnam branches in provinces and cities" to "State Bank of Vietnam Regional Branches."

Cases exempted from fees and charges for transit goods and vehicles

The Ministry of Finance has issued Circular 86/2025/TT-BTC, which will be effective from October 12, stipulating the collection rates, regime of collection, remittance, management, and use of customs fees, and fees for transit goods and vehicles.

According to Article 3, exempted subjects include: humanitarian aid and non-refundable aid goods; gifts for agencies, organizations, and individuals within tax-exempt limits; diplomatic supplies; personal luggage; goods exchanged by border residents; vehicles of border residents managed by monitoring logs; and goods and vehicles exempted under international treaties or commitments by the Vietnamese Government.

Toll gates require linked traffic accounts

Before October 1, 2025, car owners must convert their current toll payment accounts to traffic accounts linked to non-cash payment methods. Failure to do so will result in vehicles being unable to pass through toll gates.

Decree 119/2014/ND-CP allows a one-year period (from October 1, 2024, to October 1, 2025) for vehicle owners and toll service providers to convert their toll accounts to traffic accounts linked to non-cash payment methods.