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According to data from the Vietnam E-commerce Association (VECOM), in 2024, the scale of the B2C (Business To Consumer) e-commerce market will reach about 650,000 billion VND (equivalent to 30 billion USD), accounting for approximately 10% of domestic retail revenue and contributing nearly 20% of GDP. Experts predict that if the growth rate of 18-25%/year is maintained, the scale of Vietnam's e-commerce will reach 63 billion USD by 2030, ranking second in Southeast Asia. Currently, Vietnamese consumers spend nearly 1 billion USD per month on e-commerce platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, Tiki, TikTok Shop...
However, along with the boom of e-commerce comes a series of risks for both consumers and state management agencies. Issues such as commercial fraud, tax evasion, counterfeit goods, intellectual property infringement, along with complex and difficult-to-verify complaint procedures, are still persistent. One of the prominent challenges is the situation of "anonymous sellers" - individuals or organizations that do business online but do not publicly disclose basic information such as name, address, phone number or tax code. This causes many difficulties in tracing and determining responsibility when disputes or violations of the law occur.
Given the above reality, identifying online sellers is no longer an option, but a prerequisite for creating a transparent, fair and sustainable market. Identification is not only a technological “touchpoint”, but also a mechanism for attaching legal responsibility to each online business transaction, thereby contributing to the fight against counterfeit goods, commercial fraud and tax evasion. Once a clear identification code is available, sellers are forced to take legal responsibility if they violate regulations on quality, origin of goods or tax obligations. This is especially important in the context that many individuals are taking advantage of e-commerce platforms to trade in prohibited or counterfeit goods, or “evade the law” in tax declarations.
In addition, identifying online sellers will also contribute to increasing budget revenue and promoting tax management in the digital age. According to data from the General Department of Taxation, in the first 5 months of 2025, revenue from the e-commerce sector reached VND 74,400 billion, an increase of 55% over the same period in 2024 - a figure that shows the great potential of this type of business but also poses an urgent need for an effective management mechanism. When sellers are identified, tax authorities can automatically collect, deduct or monitor tax obligations through a digital platform, instead of relying on self-declaration reports. This is a fundamental step to expand the collection base, reduce revenue loss, and create fairness between traditional and e-commerce businesses.
In particular, identifying online sellers is also important for vulnerable groups such as freelancers, women entrepreneurs, and people in rural and mountainous areas - those who are gradually participating in e-commerce but still have difficulty accessing official distribution channels. Identifying sellers will open up opportunities for them to access support programs, preferential credit sources, and gradually participate in the legal and formal business ecosystem.
Essential foundation for a sustainable e-commerce ecosystem
Identification of online sellers is no longer just a technical or administrative requirement, but has become an important legal and institutional foundation for state management in the field of e-commerce.
Legally, Decree 117/2024 stipulates that e-commerce platforms must deduct and pay taxes on behalf of sellers, starting from July 1, 2025. In addition, the Draft Law on E-commerce (expected to be submitted to the National Assembly in October 2025) will stipulate that individuals doing online business must register for a tax code and carry out identification. Technically, VNeID is used to authenticate the identity of online sellers. E-commerce platforms (Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop...) integrate the API system to automatically transfer tax data to tax authorities. The Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Public Security are studying a data sharing mechanism between the VNeID system, the tax database and the national population database. This will create a foundation for consistent identification, helping to manage, monitor and inspect more effectively.
Seller identification, therefore, is not just an administrative measure, but is becoming an essential foundation for a transparent, trustworthy and sustainable e-commerce ecosystem. With the implementation of personal tax codes, VNeID identification accounts and e-commerce platform authentication mechanisms, this policy is creating positive impacts in three clear aspects.
First, this policy has contributed to a sharp increase in budget revenue thanks to the transparency of cash flows. In just the first 5 months of 2025, tax revenue from e-commerce increased by 55% compared to the same period in 2024 - a record increase. It is forecasted that for the whole year, the tax sector can collect from 180,000 - 200,000 billion VND from online sellers, mostly from identified accounts. When the seller's identity is clearly verified, tax obligations are fully and transparently implemented, thereby reflecting the clear effectiveness of the policy.
The second is to strengthen market trust - a vital factor for e-commerce. Fraud, wrong product delivery or loss of contact with sellers are the main reasons why consumers lose trust. E-commerce platforms also record higher rates of complaints at unverified stores. On the contrary, users increasingly prefer to shop at stores with clear identities and authentication symbols. Transparent identity has therefore become a new competitive advantage in the e-commerce environment.
Finally, identification helps formalize and modernize the e-commerce ecosystem. This facilitates the connection of small sellers to the formal financial system, allowing them to automatically file and pay taxes, build credit profiles based on transaction data, and access loans and startup support programs. Thanks to digital technology , the state can effectively track transactions, reduce the administrative burden, and promote a transparent, fair, and orderly business environment.
However, there are still some significant difficulties in synchronizing the quality of identification among e-commerce platforms. Small and retail online sellers are still not familiar with registering for tax codes, and there are concerns about the risk of privacy infringement when using VNeID data. In addition, the legal framework related to data sharing, information security and dispute resolution related to digital identification is still incomplete. Therefore, it is necessary to organize a pilot identification with a group of sellers with large revenue before gradually expanding to other small and retail groups. At the same time, it is necessary to supplement regulations on personal data protection in electronic transactions. Authorities also need to promote training, guidance on identification and online tax declaration for small sellers, especially in remote areas.
At the same time, the establishment of a mechanism for sharing identification data between the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the General Department of Taxation and the Ministry of Public Security needs to be implemented in a secure and effective manner. E-commerce platforms need to be encouraged to integrate the VNeID authentication system and tax codes when sellers open stores, and at the same time, publicize the rate of violations and complaints to increase transparency and strengthen market confidence.
For Hanoi - one of the leading localities in the country in digital transformation and e-commerce development - promoting seller identification should be identified as a strategic priority in planning smart urban trade policies. The city government can proactively coordinate with central agencies to deploy pilot models such as transparent e-commerce platforms, automated tax management, or post-transaction inspection using smart technology. These initiatives will contribute to the formation of a modern, transparent, fair and sustainable digital business environment.
Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/dinh-danh-nguoi-ban-hang-online-ieu-kien-tien-quyet-cho-mot-thi-truong-minh-bach-709952.html
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