Affiliate marketing is booming: New regulations you need to know from 2026.

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - Affiliate marketing is booming, becoming a popular money-making channel on digital platforms. The E-commerce Law adds many regulations to tighten the responsibilities of affiliate marketers and service providers.

Affiliate marketing has been booming in Vietnam in recent years, becoming one of the most popular ways to earn money on digital platforms.

With the advantages of low input costs, ease of participation, and leveraging the reach of social media, this model attracts a large number of content creators and online sellers. In light of this, the recently passed E-commerce Law, which includes many regulations to manage affiliate marketing activities, will officially come into effect in July 2026.

Accordingly, affiliate marketing in e-commerce involves advertising goods and services through links, referral codes, or similar methods associated with an e-commerce platform.

An affiliate marketer in e-commerce is someone who promotes goods and services on a digital platform through a link, referral code, or similar method created by an organization or individual providing affiliate marketing services in e-commerce.

Article 26 of the law clearly stipulates the responsibilities of affiliate marketers in e-commerce. Specifically, affiliate marketers are responsible for providing complete information to the organization or individual providing affiliate marketing services to facilitate electronic verification and identification as required by law.

In addition, affiliate marketers must refuse to conduct marketing activities on digital platforms that have been publicly announced by competent state authorities as violating laws on national security, public order, and safety; or on digital platforms that operate as multi-level marketing schemes but do not have a certificate of registration for multi-level marketing activities.

Many content creators invest in equipment and technology to do affiliate marketing (Photo: Minh Nhat).

The law also requires affiliate marketers not to engage in marketing activities that involve language, images, clothing, or behavior contrary to social ethics and customs.

For established affiliate links, referral codes, or similar methods, affiliate marketers are responsible for proactively removing links to goods or services that violate the law or as required by competent government authorities.

In addition, affiliate marketers must provide information related to their affiliate marketing activities in e-commerce when requested by the state e-commerce regulatory authority.

The Law on E-commerce also clearly stipulates the responsibilities of organizations and individuals providing affiliate marketing services. Before establishing links, referral codes, or similar methods, the service provider must electronically verify the identity of the affiliate marketer as prescribed; in the case of foreigners, verification is carried out through legal documents.

At the same time, these entities must refuse to provide services for goods and services that are on the prohibited list, violate the law, involve multi-level marketing without a certificate, or have been publicly identified as violating regulations by competent authorities on the E-commerce Management System.

During operation, organizations and individuals providing affiliate marketing services are responsible for preventing and removing infringing links immediately upon detection or at the request of competent state authorities, and for providing information related to affiliate marketing activities when requested by the state management agency for e-commerce.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/kinh-doanh/kiem-tien-tu-tiep-thi-lien-ket-bung-no-quy-dinh-moi-can-biet-tu-2026-20251215170426724.htm