Fastest, lowest-commitment option. You sell from abroad to a Vietnamese distributor, who imports, warehouses and sells under your brand. Good for early market testing or when regulation is complex.
A non-commercial presence handling market research, promotion, liaison, supplier monitoring and partner support. Cannot sign sales contracts or issue VAT invoices — often used as a step between distributors and a full entity.
Your own company in Vietnam with up to 100% foreign ownership in most open sectors. Full control over sales, pricing, hiring, IP and data — typical for long-term manufacturing, tech/services and B2B operations.
Shared ownership of a new or existing company. Used when the sector has foreign ownership caps or a JV requirement, or where local land-use rights, licenses or distribution networks are valuable.
Buy into or buy out an existing Vietnamese business. Useful when speed, existing licenses/customers, or brand are critical — requires careful legal, financial and tax due diligence.
A contractual partnership without forming a new company — used for specific projects such as infrastructure or energy, or where parties prefer flexible cooperation.
A branch is available only in certain service sectors; an EOR lets you hire staff quickly without establishing an entity at all.
Most advisors recommend a simple decision flow:
Share your sector, target timeline, and whether you prefer full control or a local partner — we'll outline a tailored entry strategy and likely licensing path.
Talk to us →Successful foreign entrants typically phase their market entry rather than jumping straight to a large entity build-out:
Desk and field research, customer interviews, regulatory scan — often via export + local partner and/or a small RO.
Limited geography, product subset, or B2B segment. Test distribution channels, pricing, marketing messages and service model.
Adjust product specs, packaging, communications and support to Vietnam's consumer and business culture. Decide whether a WFOE or JV is needed for deeper control.
Incorporate a WFOE (LLC/JSC) or expand ownership in a JV/target company. Roll out nationwide distribution and build a local team.
Often goes straight to a 100% foreign-owned manufacturing LLC in an industrial zone, possibly after a short research phase.
Starts via remote delivery plus a local partner or small RO, then upgrades to a WFOE once revenue justifies onshore contracts and local hiring.
Begins with a distributor model to test acceptance and channel economics, then may switch to a WFOE or JV to capture more margin and control branding.