Legal Update 02/2026

ENTERPRISE - COMMERCE

Decision No. 250/QD-TTg dated February 26, 2026, of the Prime Minister approves the Comprehensive Digital Transformation Project for the Ministry of Interior to serve citizens and businesses by 2030, with a vision to 2045.

Decision 250/QD-TTg reflects the main viewpoint of the Project: to implement a synchronized and unified digital transformation nationwide based on the pillars of infrastructure, data, platforms, human resources, and information security. The Project takes institutions as the foundation, data as the resource, and places citizens and businesses at the center to simplify procedures, reduce compliance costs, and strongly shift from pre-approval to post-approval.

The overall goal of the Project is to build a professional, modern, data-driven, and intelligent digital service administration, striving to make the Ministry of Interior a leading unit in the digital transformation of public service. Specifically, by 2030, the sector aims to complete key national databases on cadres, civil servants, public employees, and social security. 100% of administrative procedures in the field of Internal Affairs will be provided as full-process online public services, applying artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual assistants to support citizens. In terms of governance, over 95% of work files at agencies will be processed electronically, and management decisions must be based on data analysis and exploitation.

To realize these goals, the Decision outlines a detailed list of tasks and solutions, including improving policies, institutions, and technical standards; reviewing and cleaning data according to the principles of "accuracy, completeness, cleanliness, viability, consistency, and shared use." Modern technologies such as Big Data, Blockchain, and AI will be widely applied to forecast human resources, reform salaries, and evaluate organizational efficiency. The project also focuses on developing shared platforms such as the National Job Exchange, the Electronic Labor Contract Platform, and the National Digital Archive Platform to create breakthroughs in management and service delivery.

Regarding implementation, the Ministry of Interior plays the leading role, coordinating with other ministries, sectors, and localities to deploy the Project. The Ministry of Public Security is responsible for supporting data connectivity with the National Data Center and ensuring cybersecurity, while the Ministry of Science and Technology evaluates new technological solutions. The People's Committees of provinces and cities are responsible for digitizing local data and integrating digital transformation tasks into their annual plans. By 2045, the Ministry of Interior will operate entirely on a smart digital administration platform, contributing to placing Vietnam among the top 30 countries in e-government and innovation.

LAND - HOUSING

Government Decree No. 54/2026/ND-CP dated February 9, 2026, amends and supplements a number of articles of decrees in the fields of housing and real estate business.

Decree 54/2026/ND-CP was issued to amend and supplement several articles of decrees in the field of housing and real estate business. The main focus of this Decree is on reforming administrative procedures and adjusting regulations on the management of social housing, resettlement housing, and real estate business activities.

One of the notable new features is the establishment of principles for modernizing administrative procedures. Accordingly, applications can be submitted directly, online, or via postal service, with results returned electronically that have the same legal validity as paper copies. In particular, when national or specialized databases on population become operational, much of the information in applications will be replaced by personal identification numbers or specialized codes, significantly reducing the number of photocopies of documents.

Regarding the real estate business sector, the Decree amends regulations related to the sale and lease-purchase of future-built housing to foreign organizations and individuals. Investors need to clearly state this need in their application so that the Department of Construction can seek opinions from the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security within 7 days. In addition, regulations on the operating conditions, termination, or suspension of operations of real estate exchanges and brokerage firms are also adjusted to comply with the law on enterprises.

In the area of social housing and resettlement management, the Decree supplements the formulas and principles for determining the selling price, lease-purchase price, and rental price of housing for resettlement purposes invested by the State, ensuring the accuracy and completeness of all constituent costs. The process of verifying housing conditions and income for beneficiaries of social housing policies has also been simplified; in which, the commune-level police are responsible for verifying residence information and other identification information within 7 working days. At the same time, the Decree also shortens the processing time for many administrative procedures related to the renovation and reconstruction of apartment buildings and the management of housing belonging to public assets.

Resolution No. 66.15/2026/NQ-CP dated February 13, 2026, of the Government on promulgating a number of mechanisms to address difficulties and obstacles arising from legal regulations on social housing development.

Resolution 66.15/2026/NQ-CP aims to establish specific mechanisms to address difficulties and obstacles arising from legal regulations in the process of developing social housing. This resolution has a broad scope of application to relevant state agencies, organizations, and individuals, and is effective from the date of issuance until February 28, 2027. The focus of the resolution is to remove bottlenecks in planning, determine housing types, and expand the scope of beneficiaries of social housing policies to promote supply and accessibility for the people.

In terms of planning, the Resolution allows for the simultaneous preparation and adjustment of detailed plans with the preparation of zoning plans or general plans. For areas undergoing administrative reorganization, the handling of zoning plans will comply with the laws on urban and rural planning. Notably, in centrally-governed cities and wards within provinces, social housing must be in the form of apartment buildings; while in other areas, the Provincial People's Council has the right to decide on the type of housing appropriate to the local reality.

Furthermore, the Resolution supplements humane support policies for households and individuals whose land and housing are confiscated for national defense, security, or socio-economic development purposes. These individuals are given priority to purchase or rent-to-own social housing without having to participate in a lottery, and are exempt from housing and income requirements. In addition, contract workers with indefinite terms receiving salaries from the state budget in the police force are also included as eligible beneficiaries of the housing policy for the people's armed forces.

To ensure enforceability, the Government has assigned the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to review and propose improvements to related laws such as the Housing Law and the Land Law to ensure consistency. People's Committees and People's Councils at all levels are responsible for organizing and closely monitoring the implementation process, ensuring that it is open, transparent, and absolutely free from corruption, policy abuse, or waste of resources.

LABOR - SALARY

Circular No. 09/2026/TT-BTC dated February 3, 2026, issued by the Ministry of Finance, stipulates the creation of electronic social insurance books and health insurance cards.

Circular 09/2026/TT-BTC provides detailed regulations on the creation and use of electronic social insurance books and health insurance cards for insured individuals nationwide, excluding those under the management of the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security. Accordingly, these electronic versions are created directly by the Social Insurance agency from the National Insurance Database based on each individual's unique social insurance number. In terms of legal validity, the electronic social insurance book and health insurance card contain complete information equivalent to the paper version and are integrated and stored on electronic identification applications such as VNeID (level 2) or the VssID digital insurance application for convenient lookup and use.

During the process, participants and employers are responsible for declaring, submitting documents, and paying insurance premiums in full through electronic transaction methods. The Social Insurance agency is responsible for receiving, updating data, and returning electronic results to the data management warehouse or the participant's email address. In particular, the Circular emphasizes that the information on the electronic version must completely match the national database, and any changes to the benefits or personal information must be updated promptly.

Regarding usage, citizens can use their electronic social insurance book to process insurance benefits and their electronic health insurance card for medical examinations and treatment at healthcare facilities. The new regulations strictly prohibit benefit-processing agencies or healthcare facilities from requiring citizens to provide paper copies when a valid electronic copy has already been presented; instead, these entities are responsible for independently verifying the validity of their electronic documents on the national data system. This circular marks a significant step forward in the digitalization of administrative procedures in the insurance sector.

Circular No. 12/2026/TT-BTC dated February 10, 2026, issued by the Ministry of Finance, stipulates the procedures for assessing medical examination and treatment costs covered by health insurance, the payment and settlement summary forms, and measures for implementing Government Decree 188/2025/ND-CP dated July 1, 2025, which details and guides the implementation of several articles of the Law on Health Insurance.

Circular 12/2026/TT-BTC focuses on regulating the procedures for auditing medical examination and treatment costs covered by health insurance, the forms for summarizing payments and settlements, and related implementation measures. This Circular applies to the Social Insurance Agency, medical examination and treatment facilities that have signed health insurance contracts, and related organizations and individuals.

One of the key aspects is the operation of the Data Reception Portal within the Health Insurance Claims Information System to exchange digitally signed electronic documents and data between the Social Insurance agency and medical facilities. Through this system, medical facilities can look up health insurance card information and the patient's medical history upon admission or during treatment. Simultaneously, medical facilities are responsible for creating and updating lists of drugs, medical equipment, and technical services used in the data exchange to serve as the basis for payment processing.

Regarding the inspection process, the Circular stipulates two methods of coordination: automated inspection and proactive inspection. The automated system will review the contents of health insurance cards, benefit levels, payment scope, and professional conditions monthly. Meanwhile, the proactive method involves the Social Insurance agency directly reviewing and comparing medical records and related documents, especially for cases with sudden increases in costs. The inspection results are recorded in the Inspection Report and Inspection Results Notification, which serve as the basis for carrying out the next steps.

The payment and settlement process is carried out quarterly based on verified data. The Social Insurance agency prepares a settlement report and sends it to the medical facility. The medical facility then sends back the signed report along with the electronic invoice to complete the payment within 3 working days. For expenses exceeding the budget or arising from unforeseen issues, the Circular also specifies the procedures for explanation, approval, and supplementary payment to ensure the rights of the medical facility and the health insurance fund. In addition, the Social Insurance agency is responsible for issuing monthly warnings if the medical facility experiences unusually high expense increases so that the unit can promptly review and adjust.

STOCKS - FINANCE

Circular No. 08/2026/TT-BTC dated February 3, 2026, of the Ministry of Finance amends and supplements several articles of Circular 96/2020/TT-BTC dated November 16, 2020, of the Minister of Finance guiding the disclosure of information on the securities market, as amended and supplemented by Circular 68/2024/TT-BTC and Circular 18/2025/TT-BTC, and Circular 120/2020/TT-BTC dated December 31, 2020, of the Minister of Finance regulating transactions of listed shares, registered for trading, fund certificates, corporate bonds, and secured warrants listed on the securities trading system, as amended and supplemented by Circular 68/2024/TT-BTC and Circular 121/2020/TT-BTC dated December 31, 2020, of the Minister of Finance. Regulations on the operation of securities companies have been amended and supplemented by Circular 68/2024/TT-BTC.

Circular 08/2026/TT-BTC aims to amend and supplement several regulations on information disclosure, securities trading, and the operations of securities companies. This Circular is based on important legal foundations such as the Securities Law of 2019, the Enterprise Law of 2020, and related implementing decrees that have been updated to the latest version up to 2025. The main objective of the Circular is to adjust the trading and settlement mechanisms, particularly focusing on foreign investors and foreign securities business organizations.

Regarding the trading mechanism, the Circular allows non-resident foreign investors to place orders through foreign securities firms representing them, using the investor's own custody account number. Securities companies are responsible for signing service contracts, verifying clients in accordance with anti-money laundering regulations, and ensuring centralized management of transaction data. In addition, the Circular clearly specifies the methods of order acceptance, from direct transactions at the counter to remote methods such as the internet or SWIFT, and requires accurate recording of order acceptance times and immediate notification of order matching results to the client or representative organization.

Regarding payment activities, the Circular establishes strict rules when foreign institutional investors fail to fulfill their payment obligations for shares purchased in transactions that do not require sufficient funds at the time of placing the order. In case of violation, the securities company must immediately report to the State Securities Commission and relevant units on the day the incident occurs. The violating investor will have their right to place orders for shares that do not require sufficient funds suspended for 7 consecutive trading days, or up to 180 days if the violation occurs a third time within 30 days. The ownership of these unpaid shares will be transferred to the securities company's proprietary trading account according to specific contractual agreements.

Regarding disclosure obligations, the Circular requires insiders and related parties to disclose information on planned transactions at least three working days in advance, except for certain exemptions related to handling payment errors or off-system ownership transfers. In addition, securities companies must provide detailed reports on their operations, the number of accounts, and transactions of foreign investors.