
Hanoi – The rapid development of digital
assets, especially blockchain–based ones, and the emergence of new
business models have posed unprecedented issues to policymakers around the
world on how to ensure their proper development.
According to Dang Huy Dong, Director of the Planning and
Development Institute, it has become pressing for countries,
including Vietnam, to develop appropriate legal frameworks to promote the
development and application of blockchain as well as digital assets.
Vietnam also needs to create a fair and transparent
environment to exploit the values of digital assets, thereby having a mechanism
to encourage creativity and technological innovation to enable the country
to benefit from opportunities arising from Industry 4.0 and keep up with the
development of other countries.
Digital assets witnessed rapid growth in recent years along with
the development of science and technology, and the fourth industrial
revolution.
Boston Consulting Group has estimated that tokenized assets
may account for 10% of global gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030,
equivalent to 16.1 trillion USD, expecting a rapid growth from 310 million USD in
2022, or 0.4% of GDP.
Nguyen Khanh Bao from the Ministry of Information and
Communications cited statistics of Digital Assets – Worldwide/Statista Market
Forecast which showed that there were more than 2 billion transactions, worth a
total of 1.4 trillion USD, from cryptocurrencies in 2021.
The revenue from the digital asset market was forecast to reach 56.42
billion USD in 2021 and register an average annual growth rate of 16.15% in
the 2023-2027 period to reach 102.7 billion USD in 2027.
The number of users would reach 994.3 million in 2027, or a user
penetration rate of 12.5%.
Vietnam currently ranks 11th with a penetration rate of 6.1%
of the population and in the top 20 countries with the highest penetration
rates of digital assets.
A representative from Blockchain Association said that Vietnam was
in the top 10 in the world in terms of the percentage of the population owning
cryptocurrencies.
According to Dong, Blockchain is considered one of the leading
technologies in the list of prioritized technologies for research, development
and application to participate in Industry 4.0.
The law of Vietnam has not yet recognised the ownership of digital
assets. However, transactions and exploitation of digital assets
have taken place regardless.
There are still different viewpoints and approaches on how to
manage digital assets and promote development.
Bao said many countries took action to develop a legal framework
for digital assets, including the EU, Japan, the US and China. But in Vietnam,
there had been no regulations established.
He said that reviews of the existing 8 relevant laws and
codes showed that there had been no clear definition and classification of
crypto assets.
A research team from the institute proposed a legal framework to
be completed, including a clear and detailed definition of digital assets to
ensure the appropriateness to Vietnam’s situation.
Cryptocurrencies should be recognised as a new type of asset which
has prerequisites for circulation, researchers said.
Policymakers should consider taxing transactions related to
digital assets, researchers said, adding that initial coin offerings (ICOs)
should also be allowed and put under management together with trading
platforms.
The research team also proposed to improve the technology park
models specialised for blockchain research, development, application and
testing, with a priority on app-based products which
generate economic value for the country.
Pham Hong Hanh, from the National Assembly Office’s Economics
Department, said that it was essential to build a legal framework to promote
the development and application of blockchain technology and manage virtual
assets.
However, the level of regulation should be put into careful
consideration to ensure a balance between the goals of encouraging
innovation and protecting the interests of organisations and individuals.
She said that crypto assets, like non-fungible tokens, and
cryptocurrencies were the best-known applications of blockchain technology,
adding that these were new issues. It would be difficult to build a complete
and comprehensive legal framework the first time. Therefore, developing a
sandbox would be the appropriate approach.
Le Thi Hoang Thanh, Deputy Director of the Department of Civil and
Economic Law under the Ministry of Justice, said that digital assets by nature
reflected a value similar to other traditional ones. Thus, they should be
treated as assets.
To promote Industry 4.0 in Vietnam, the law must play a role
in promoting and protecting ownership of new types of assets created by this
revolution. However, it would be impossible to raise comprehensive solutions
immediately.
Thanh said the approach for Vietnam should be to closely watch the
development of technology and markets while enhancing exchanges and learning
from international experiences and consulting relevant parties to gradually
raise appropriate policies./.