The National Assembly of Vietnam enacted the Data Law 2024, the first comprehensive legislation on data, which will take effect on July 1, 2025. Key provisions include:

1. Data ownership: For the first time, the law recognizes "data ownership" as a property right under civil law, granting owners full authority to manage, protect, use, and exchange their data. It also introduces the role of "data managers," responsible for operating data on behalf of owners, and imposes obligations on owners, managers, and data-related service providers.

2. Cross-border data transfer and processing: These are permitted; however, stricter requirements apply to "important" or "core data" (as the government has yet to define what qualifies as "important" or "core data"). Such transfers must comply with regulations that ensure national security, public interest, and the rights of data subjects.

3. Data products and services: The law defines four categories of data products and services:

• Data intermediary services: Enable commercial relationships between data subjects, data owners, and users through agreements governing the exchange, sharing, access, and exercise of data rights.
• Data analysis and synthesis: Process data into in-depth, actionable insights tailored to the specific needs of product or service users.
• Data trading platforms: Support research, innovation, and socio-economic development by providing a marketplace for data-related resources.
• Electronic authentication services: Verify and authenticate data within national databases and identification systems.

While private entities are allowed to offer intermediary and analytical services, trading platforms and authentication services are restricted to state-owned enterprises and public sector entities.

4. Implementation: The Ministry of Public Security (MPS) is designated as the agency responsible for state management of data and will report directly to the Government. To facilitate the implementation of the Data Law, the MPS has released draft legal documents for public consultation, with more detailed guidelines expected in the near future.