The Government has issued Decree No. 340/2025/NĐ-CP on administrative penalties in the monetary and banking sector, set to take effect on February 9, 2026.

 

The decree targets violations in gold trading with a tiered sanction system. Warnings will apply to buying or selling gold bars from unlicensed credit institutions or enterprises, or using gold as payment. Repeated or multiple offences carry fines of VNĐ10-20 million (US$384-768). The same range applies to failing to route gold transactions through required payment accounts.

 

Fines of VNĐ30-50 million will be levied for not publicly displaying gold bar or jewelry prices, producing jewelry without declared standards or proper labeling, or making gold bars without disclosing standards, weight, purity or labeling requirements. Carrying gold across borders in breach of rules, excluding customs violations, will incur penalties of VNĐ80-100 million.

 

More severe breaches face VNĐ140-180 million in fines, including trading gold bars via authorised agents, violating gold position management rules, importing or exporting gold jewelry and materials outside registered business lines, producing or trading jewelry without required conditions, or processing jewelry without proper business registration.

 

Using imported raw gold for unapproved purposes or repeated agent-based gold bar trading will trigger VNĐ200-250 million penalties. Operating gold bar production in violation of regulations carries VNĐ250-300 million fines. The heaviest sanctions, VNĐ300-400 million, apply to producing or trading gold bars without licences, importing or exporting raw gold or bars without permits from competent agencies, or conducting other gold trading activities without required authorisation.

 

On foreign currency, individuals trading among themselves or at unauthorised agents face warnings for deals under $1,000. Transactions of $1,000 to under $10,000 face VNĐ10-20 million fines; $10,000 to under $100,000, VNĐ20-30 million; and $100,000 or more, VNĐ80-100 million.

 

In capital contributions and share acquisitions, using non-charter or reserve funds in breach of the Law on Credit Institutions will result in VNĐ100-150 million. Exceeding shareholding limits in other lenders or violating investment rules carries VNĐ200-250 million, with more serious breaches up to VNĐ250-300 million.

 

Fines for deposit-taking violations range from VNĐ20-150 million. Procedural lapses in accepting or paying deposits face VNĐ20-40 million fines, while taking deposits from ineligible parties draws VNĐ100-150 million. Misleading or unclear postings of deposit rates or fees incur VNĐ10-20 million penalties, while applying unlisted rates faces fines of VNĐ20-40 million.

 

Corporate bond trading breaches include VNĐ15-30 million for failing to monitor bond proceeds usage, and VNĐ30-50 million for not using non-cash payments.

 

Graver offences, such as buying bonds without prior assessment, purchasing those issued for debt restructuring or capital increases, foreign branches acquiring convertible bonds, selling to subsidiaries outside mandated cases, or buying bonds with altered proceeds without internal ratings, face VNĐ100-150 million fines.

 

The decree doubles fines for organisations versus individuals committing identical violations. For staff at people's credit funds or micro-finance institutions, individual penalties are 10 per cent of standard rates, with organisational fines doubled accordingly. — VNA/VNS

 

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