Vietnam
| Pros |
|---|
| Low corporate tax rates and numerous tax incentives for foreign direct investment in tech sectors. |
| High level of personal safety and low violent crime rates for expatriates and business owners. |
| Rapidly improving digital infrastructure and a young, tech-savvy workforce at competitive labor costs. |
| Cons |
|---|
| Pervasive corruption and lack of transparency in administrative procedures and local government dealings. |
| Strict state control over digital expression and limited political freedoms under a single-party system. |
| Complex bureaucratic hurdles and inconsistent enforcement of property rights and legal contracts. |
Will Vietnam tax what you earn?
YES, A LOT. Personal income is taxed heavily in Vietnam (top marginal rate 35%), but the residency test is unusually permissive. The bill is steep; the trick is not to trip into resident status without meaning to.
Will Vietnam tax what you own?
YES, FAIRLY. Capital gains in Vietnam are taxed at 20% on disposal, with no annual wealth charge. But inheritance triggers a separate regime when assets transfer. Two trigger events on the same value: sale and succession.
| Heir | Top rate | Allowance |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse | EXEMPT | — |
| Children | EXEMPT | — |
| Siblings | EXEMPT | — |
| Other relatives | 10% | VND 10,000,000 |
| Non-relatives | 10% | VND 10,000,000 |
Is it easy to run a company in Vietnam?
YES, BUT TAXED. Vietnam charges 20% corporate tax, partly offset by an IP-box regime at 20% for qualifying assets. The effective rate depends heavily on how much of your income is IP-derived: for software, licensing or royalty-heavy models, the maths can turn friendly.
Is Vietnam good for your holding company?
NOT REALLY. Vietnam carries an extensive treaty network (50 agreements), which cuts inbound withholding on cross-border flows. The missing piece is a participation exemption: dividends received from subsidiaries face the full corporate schedule (20%) unless the treaty does all the work alone. Useful for operations, not for a pure holding vehicle.
| Country | Status | Dividends | Interest | Royalties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| ∅ // no treaties match | ||||
What does it cost to come and go from Vietnam?
SOME. Vietnam taxes worldwide income while you're resident, but there's no exit tax on the way out. The cost of leaving is mostly paperwork: unrealised gains follow you to the next jurisdiction untouched.
Will Vietnam protect your privacy?
PARTLY. Vietnam has signed most of the standard exchange frameworks and operates a public corporate registry. Financial accounts are reported to your home tax authority, and your shareholdings are visible to anyone. Privacy is shallow on both axes.
Is Vietnam itself a liability?
SOMEWHAT. Vietnam is flagged by one or two national tax authorities and sits outside FATF membership. Selective friction: anti-abuse rules trigger on transactions in specific corridors, and counterparties tend to ask more questions.
Will you feel free in Vietnam?
NO. Press freedom in Vietnam is restricted (RSF rank #173). Civic space and independent media operate under pressure or not at all, a constraint that typically extends to financial expression as well, even where crypto isn't formally banned.
| Program | Status | Cross-border | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Vietnam CBDC
State Bank of Vietnam
|
RESEARCH | — | announce → |
Other jurisdictions worth comparing
Picked by similarity of strategic profile to Vietnam. No editorial ranking — neighbours in the same scoring space.