The announcement has surprised Vietnam’s advertising community, as Google confirmed plans to establish its official presence in the country starting in 2025.

Google Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., headquartered in Singapore, has sent emails to its Vietnamese clients informing them of upcoming changes to the terms governing Google Ads and other products.

According to the email, starting April 1, 2025, the contractual rights and responsibilities of advertising partners in Vietnam will be transferred from Google Asia Pacific to Google Vietnam Co., Ltd. (Google VietNam), headquartered in Ho Chi Minh City.

From March 1, 2025, Google Vietnam will take over as the official partner for customers using listed products in Vietnam, replacing Google Singapore. This change includes direct management of invoicing activities in Vietnam. Payments for services will be processed in Vietnamese dong (VND), with a 10% value-added tax (VAT) applied as per Vietnamese law.

Clients have been asked to provide tax identification numbers, names, and addresses registered with the tax authorities to ensure valid invoices. Once issued, no changes to invoices will be permitted.

Google assured customers that updated terms of service will be available for review starting January 1, 2025. The transition will not disrupt ongoing services.

Responding to questions from VietNamNet regarding its new office, a Google representative explained that the company currently has an on-the-ground team in Vietnam to better serve advertising clients and support the country’s digital transformation initiatives.

Google Vietnam Co., Ltd. was established on May 31, 2023, and is managed by the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department. Its latest tax registration update was recorded on December 3, 2024.

While this new office will focus on business and marketing activities to support domestic corporate clients, Google Asia-Pacific’s headquarters will remain in Singapore.

A representative from a local advertising service provider noted that the establishment of Google Vietnam will simplify operations for domestic businesses. For instance, invoices will now be issued in Vietnamese with 10% VAT included, streamlining accounting and auditing processes compared to the previous system.

The new setup will also bring greater transparency to cross-border service usage and allow businesses to deduct VAT. Moreover, the Vietnamese government will benefit from more clearly documented tax revenue, with significant increases expected compared to earlier arrangements.

Le My