Vietnam, one of the most active crypto markets globally, will fine domestic investors who trade digital assets on unlicensed platforms under a new decree aimed at directing liquidity toward five state-vetted exchanges and limiting exposure to offshore risk, Vietnamese media reported.
Vietnam To Penalize Unlicensed Crypto Trading Under New Decree: Vietnamese Reports
20 July 2026 - 10:05 CEST
Decree 284/2026, effective from 1 Sep, sets fines of VND30mn to VND50mn ($1,150 – $1,900) for individuals trading crypto assets through providers not licensed by the Ministry of Finance, the Vietnam News Agency reported on 19 Jul. It marks the first time Hanoi has penalized domestic investors for trading outside licensed venues since the pilot crypto market began under Resolution 05/2025.
Vietnamese traders moved more than $220bn in digital assets between mid-2024 and mid-2025, according to the Chainalysis 2025 Global Crypto Adoption Index, with nearly all of that volume passing through offshore exchanges such as Binance and Bybit or peer-to-peer networks.
The decree forms part of a broader shift towards a regulated, state-monitored digital asset market. The government has licensed five local exchanges under the pilot programme, with the first expected to begin operations as early as the third quarter.
