On December 25, 2025, the Government issued Decree 340/2025/ND-CP on administrative penalties in the monetary and banking sector. The decree takes effect on February 9, 2026.
According to Decree 340/2025/ND-CP, not only businesses but also individuals buying and selling
gold can be penalized for violations, with fines reaching tens of millions of dong.
Specifically, a gold buyer will be fined with a warning if they engage in acts such as buying or selling gold bars with credit institutions or businesses that do not have a license to buy-sell gold bars; or using gold as a means of payment.
In case of repeated violations or multiple offenses, the penalty will be raised from 10 million to 20 million dong.
Notably, the decree also provides that gold buyers can be penalized for failing to settle payments through a bank account as required. This is a new measure to increase transparency in gold trading.
Given that the gold market continues to attract public attention, understanding these legal regulations becomes necessary to avoid unnecessary risks, especially for common transactions like buying/selling at small jewelry shops or paying with gold.
