By Linh Nguyen 

On 10 December 2025, Vietnamese National Assembly adopted the Amended Law on Intellectual Property, which will take effect on 1 April 2026. The amendments represent a significant step towards strengthening IP protection, enhancing enforcement mechanisms, and aligning Vietnam’s IP framework with international trade commitments and the realities of the digital economy. 

For enterprises operating in Vietnam including domestic companies and foreign-invested businesses, these changes will have a direct impact on how IPRs are protected, enforced, and commercialized.  

A practical overview of the key updates and their implications for IP holders are as follows:- 

Expanded Protection for Industrial Designs 

Scope of Protectable Designs 

• Expanded to include partial designs and non-physical designs, such as graphical user interfaces (GUIs), icons, and other digital visual elements. 

Novelty Grace Period 

• Broadened to cover all forms of prior disclosure, including commercialization. 

• Designs remain eligible for protection if filed within six months from the date of disclosure. 

• Aligns industrial design protection more closely with the grace period applicable to inventions. 

The mechanism allows creators and design owners to concentrate protection on the most distinctive and commercially valuable elements of their designs, strengthening their ability to address partial or strategic copying. Alongside this, the expanded novelty exception i.e. permitting designs disclosed through commercialization to remain eligible for protection if filed within six months, brings the law more in line with practical business needs and rapid technological change. 

Faster IP Procedures and Shorter Timelines 

Publication Timelines 

• Industrial designs, trademarks, and geographical indications: published within 1 month from formality acceptance. 

• Patents: published at 19 months from filing/priority date, or earlier upon request. 

Opposition Periods 

• Industrial designs and trademarks: 3 months from publication. 

• Patents: 6 months from publication. 

Substantive Examination Timelines 

• Patents: reduced to 12 months (from 18 months). 

• Trademarks, industrial designs, and geographical indications: reduced to 5 months (from 9, 7, and 6 months respectively). 

• Accelerated examination: available for patents and trademarks in certain cases. 

Substantive Examination Request Deadline 

• The timeframe to request substantive examination for patent applications is reduced from 42 months to 36 months from the filing or priority date.From a business standpoint, more efficient examination procedures give businesses enforceable IPRs earlier in the commercialization process, providing a solid foundation for market entry and competitive positioning. With IP protection in place, companies can move faster and more confidently in launching products, building brands, expanding into new markets, and pursuing licensing or strategic partnerships, ultimately maximizing the commercial value of their IP assets over time. 

Official Recognition of IPRs as Business Assets 

The amended law officially reinforces the legal status of IPRs as commercial and financial assets, allowing them to be more clearly utilized in capital contributions, financing and security arrangements, as well as mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures. 

This express recognition enables businesses to integrate IP more effectively into investment structures and corporate transactions, while elevating the role of IP valuation and portfolio management in fundraising, restructuring, and expansion strategies. 

Stronger Enforcement mechanism 

Enhanced Enforcement Measures 

• Introduction of stronger remedies, including mandatory destruction of infringing goods and materials. 

• Expanded powers to remove or disable infringing content across digital platforms (websites, mobile apps, social media). 

Increased Damages 

• Statutory damages cap raised from VND 500 million to VND 1 billion. 

• Moral damages set at 10 to 100 times the basic wage, depending on severity. 

Together, these measures significantly enhance the effectiveness of IP enforcement by equipping rights holders with stronger tools to combat counterfeiting and online piracy, while substantially increasing the legal and financial risks for infringers.  

In response, enterprises should reinforce internal compliance, actively monitor infringement, particularly in digital channels, and adopt appropriate licensing strategies and early dispute resolution mechanisms to mitigate exposure. 

Supporting Enterprises in the IP Landscape 

Overall, Vietnam’s Amended IP Law reflects a clear policy direction toward stronger protection, more effective enforcement, and closer alignment between IP law and commercial realities. Enterprises operating in Vietnam should proactively review and adjust their IP strategies to leverage broader protection, faster procedures, and enhanced enforcement tools, while integrating IP more strategically into commercialization, investment, and business growth plans. 

KASS International supports businesses in building, protecting, and commercializing IPRs in a structured and sustainable manner. Our services cover IP strategy, portfolio management, enforcement, and commercialization to help enterprises maximize the economic value of innovation. Contact us at hello@kass.asia.