>Apply for a Precious Metals Trading License from Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) before bidding on confiscated gold assets
>Complete foreign exchange payment registration with the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) and settle remaining 80% payment (VND113.6B) within 10 days of auction award
>Engage only MOIT-licensed local refiners to upgrade gold purity to 99.99%; unauthorized processing or resale violates Decree 24/2022/ND-CP
English Summary
Ha Tinh Province, Vietnam auctioned 30 kg of seized gold (valued at $5.4M) via public lottery on March 12, 2026. The winning bidder paid a 20% deposit (VND28B) and must settle the full amount within 10 days. The gold—confiscated from smugglers and declared 'property of the people' under Vietnamese law—has purity of 99.90–99.95% and requires further refining to 99.99% for industrial use. This sale falls under Decree No. 151/2017/ND-CP on state asset management and Article 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Foreign businesses involved in such auctions must hold valid licenses for precious metal trading (Ministry of Industry and Trade), complete foreign-invested enterprise tax registration with GDT, and comply with SBV’s foreign exchange regulations for cross-border payments. Failure to declare proceeds or refine without MOIT approval may trigger AML scrutiny.