Author
Dr Nguyen Van Hoi
Organisation/Institution
Hanoi Law University
Country
VIETNAM
Panel
Law and Economic Development
Title
Developing Vietnam’s Legal Framework for Digital Assets in the Context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Comparative Insights and Policy Recommendations
Abstract
Amid the rapid advancement of digital technology, the proliferation of digital assets has begun to challenge classical paradigms of property law worldwide, forcing jurisdictions to confront fundamental questions that test the limits of traditional civil law. As nations move from recognised legal vacuums to structured regulation, Vietnam is witnessing its own pivotal transformation, catalysed by the recent provisions of the foundational Law on Digital Industry and Technology (June 2025) and the Resolution on the Pilot Implementation of the Crypto-Asset Market (September 2025). To clarify the legal and practical issues surrounding digital assets, this paper first examines the core theoretical issue of the “assetization” of digital objects, discusses the economic doctrines that establish the value of digital assets and the classical legal theories, particularly those from property law, that must be adapted to govern rights in digital property. The paper then analyses Vietnam’s specific approach, focusing on how the new legislation provides the technical and legal basis for defining digital assets, thereby formally recognising them as a form of property and subjecting them to civil rights such as ownership. Subsequently, the Vietnamese framework is discussed in the context of international experiences regarding solutions to civil status and the definition of these assets. Finally, the paper offers recommendations to clarify the civil law status of digital assets and support the ongoing development of Vietnam’s framework for digital property rights.
Biography
Dr. Nguyen Van Hoi is an expert in civil law and the civil aspects of human rights with 20 years of academic and practical experience. He is currently the Vice Director of the Postgraduate Training Department at Hanoi Law University and serves as a Senior Advisor to Vincent Law Firm and Nguyen Minh Law Office in Vietnam. Dr. Hoi has published extensively in prestigious Vietnamese and international law journals, and has presented his research at numerous international conferences. He has also been actively involved in legislative development, providing expert opinions on many draft laws for the Government of Vietnam. In addition, he has led and participated in scientific research projects on civil law and the civil dimensions of human rights. As a recognized scholar and practitioner, Dr. Hoi is also a frequent speaker at specialized academic and professional conferences in Vietnam and abroad.
