DHP Radio, Vietnam – Starting June 2025, more than 37,000 small businesses in Vietnam must issue e-invoices using connected cash registers—whether they’re selling noodles or pet supplies.
These aren’t big corporations. They’re food stalls, cafés, small retailers. Most earn just a few hundred thousand dong a day. Yet now they’re expected to spend hundreds of dollars on machines, software, and digital signatures.
One business owner in Hanoi asked: “How can I earn back that investment if I only make a few bucks a day?” Another in Saigon estimates they’ll be spending \$120 per month just to stay compliant.
Government support is trickling in. Providers like VNPT and Sapo are offering free trials—six months of free software, some even throwing in free e-invoices. But businesses fear that this generosity won’t last.
Experts say rushing to end the lump-sum tax system could shock over 300,000 small businesses. They need time, training, and tech infrastructure. Otherwise, Vietnam risks pushing too fast into digital taxation.
One proposal: let the state fund and lease the tech, or use simplified VAT methods tied to actual revenue. That way, Vietnam collects fair taxes—without crushing the country’s micro-businesses.
