Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam Centre for Protection of Music Copyright (VCPMC), under the Vietnam Musicians’ Association, collected more than 424.3 billion VND (16.15 million USD) in music royalties in 2025, marking an 8% increase from 2024.
Of the total, over 211.4 billion VND came from the northern region while the southern branch contributed more than 212.8 billion VND, said Meritorious Artist and composer Dinh Trung Can, General Director of the VCPMC, at the centre’s 2025 review conference held in Hanoi on January 12.
The most striking growth was recorded in the performance and live entertainment segment, including events, live shows and concerts, which surged by 202% year on year. This reflects the strong rebound of the live performance market, particularly professionally organised programmes with international elements, and improved compliance with copyright regulations.
Other sectors also posted solid gains. Royalties from background music at business establishments rose by 45%, radio and television broadcasting increased by 20%, and income from international collective management organisations grew by 23%.
Can noted that many composers received substantial royalty payments in 2025. The highest individual payout reached 4 billion VND, while many others earned between 2.5 billion and 3 billion VND. Hundreds of composers received amounts ranging from tens of millions to several hundred million VND.
However, he acknowledged that copyright collection remains challenging as some large-scale performances still show limited willingness to pay royalties in full.
During the year, VCPMC distributed nearly 269 billion VND in royalties to rights holders, up 5% from 2024. Royalties for the fourth-quarter distribution are being finalised and are expected to be paid before the Lunar New Year, with an estimated total of 120 billion VND.
The VCPMC currently represents 7,207 composers. In 2025 alone, 696 new composers entrusted their rights to the centre, an increase of 11% compared to the previous year.
Over the past year, the centre also provided legal guidance for many composers to help mitigate risks in transactions and prevent potential loss of interests, particularly those arising from unfavourable or subtly restrictive contractual terms. Regular warnings were given to make them more aware of such risks, Can noted.
Addressing the event, Pham Thi Kim Oanh, Deputy Director of the Copyright Office of Vietnam under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, praised the centre’s application of science, technology and artificial intelligence to governance, stressing that technology-driven transparency in copyright management and payment is an inevitable trend.
According to the office, the VCPMC’s achievements in 2025 show that collective copyright management in Vietnam has become increasingly mature and made significant progress.
Looking ahead to 2026, the VCPMC plans to further enhance copyright management and exploitation efficiency, with a focus on areas facing persistent challenges such as pay television. The centre will step up public communications on copyright law, accelerate digital transformation in data management, expand international cooperation, and proactively adapt to the rapid growth of the music industry and the digital creative environment.
At the ceremony, the Vietnam Musicians’ Association awarded certificates of merit to the VCPMC and its General Director for outstanding contributions to protecting Vietnamese music copyrights./.
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