Hanoi (VNA) - As copyright becomes clearly defined, data transparent and protection mechanisms more effective, cultural and artistic creations can become valuable assets that attract investment, enter new markets and business models, and generate revenue to support further creativity.
As Vietnam’s economy grows and living standards improve, demand for cultural products such as publications, music and films has increased strongly. Domestic products are also becoming increasingly competitive with foreign counterparts, with a number of Vietnamese films and music programmes achieving impressive commercial success.
In 2024, the film “Mai” grossed around 520 billion VND (nearly 20 million USD), with about 6.5 million tickets sold. A year later, "Mua do" (Red Rain) earned approximately 710 billion VND and attracted more than eight million viewers. Concerts under brands such as “Anh trai say hi” and “Anh trai vuot ngan chong gai” have also repeatedly drawn tens of thousands of spectators.
One telling indicator of the market’s growth is copyright revenue. According to the Vietnam Centre for Protection of Music Copyright (VCPMC), more than 424.3 billion VND in music copyright royalties was collected in 2025, up 8% year-on-year. Websites and music applications alone generated nearly 298 billion VND. Notably, one composer received more than 4 billion VND in royalties in a single year.
These figures show that cultural and artistic works generate not only spiritual value but also significant economic value. However, unclear ownership and licensing arrangements can lead to lost revenue, disputes and improper beneficiaries. A market may generate hundreds of billions of dong while creators themselves remain outside the flow of revenue generated by their works.
The issue is particularly important as Vietnam aims for cultural industries to contribute 7% of GDP by 2030, while digital cultural industry products are expected to account for more than 80% of total cultural industry output by 2045.
To achieve these goals, copyright bottlenecks must be removed so that revenue can return to authors, creators and rights holders.
![anh-2.jpg](https://mediaen.vietnamplus.vn/images/bojrREm00npIqr_UNj_EjSb7bWZt7dt60XReDJGCNhoRy5h0Db6Z7ay_W77cVVOX/anh-2.jpg.avif ""Fatherland in Our Hearts” concert aims to build a distinctive cultural and artistic brand. (Photo: nhandan.vn)")
Vietnam has taken important steps to strengthen the legal framework. The amended Law on Intellectual Property took effect on April 1, 2026, while Decree No. 341/2025/ND-CP raised maximum fines for copyright and related-right infringements to 250 million VND for individuals and 500 million VND for organisations. It also introduced measures to remove infringing content from the Internet and recover illicit profits.
However, digital technology continues to create new challenges. A song may appear on TikTok, be used in livestreams, remixed or incorporated into advertisements, films and games, and spread across multiple platforms and territories. Artificial intelligence (AI) is further complicating the protection of voices, images and creative styles.
Copyright enforcement must therefore be swift and sufficiently deterrent. From 2017 to March 2025, more than 16,200 websites and links illegally broadcasting sports and film content were blocked or removed nationwide. In 2026, criminal proceedings have also been strengthened, including a case involving a group operating more than 100 pirated movie websites, whose advertising revenue was initially estimated at more than 308 billion VND.
According to Bui Minh Tuan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of DipNET Technology JSC, a genuine copyright market must clearly answer three questions: Who owns the rights? Who is authorised to use them? And where should the revenue go?
Decree No. 277/2026/ND-CP on digital cultural infrastructure has outlined the development of systems for digital copyright management and protection, asset management platforms and digital copyright exchanges. If interconnected, these systems could establish a clear “digital lifecycle” for each work, from ownership and licensing to infringement detection and revenue reconciliation.
Ultimately, effective copyright protection is essential to building market confidence — an environment where creators dare to invest, businesses dare to commit capital, and creative works can be licensed, transferred and developed into new sources of economic and cultural value./.
