Music Licensing Compliance in Vietnam
How VCPMC, RIAV, and Decree 134/2026/NĐ-CP apply to commercial venues — and where direct licensing closes the gap.
Two Collecting Societies, Two of Six Rights
Vietnam’s music licensing landscape runs through two collecting societies. VCPMC (Vietnam Center for Protection of Music Copyright) administers composition and performing rights. RIAV (Recording Industry Association of Vietnam) administers sound recording rights. Together, they cover at most two of the six rights a commercial venue needs to legally play music — reproduction, master/recording and publishing rights require direct licensing from IP owners, and performers are entitled to be paid; MUSICVYBE provides all of this as standard. Read the six rights a Vietnamese business must clear.
Six Rights, One Subscription
- Public performance of composition
- Public performance of sound recording
- Reproduction of sound recording
- Master/recording rights
- Publishing rights for commercial use
- Performers’ right to be paid
Collecting societies such as VCPMC and RIAV traditionally administer rights 1 and 2. Reproduction and master/recording rights sit outside what collecting societies are structured to license — they require direct agreements with IP owners.
Decree 134/2026/NĐ-CP
Effective 1 July 2026, Decree 134/2026/NĐ-CP updates the royalty-calculation mechanism for commercial music use in Vietnam, amending Decree 17/2023/ND-CP. It names cafés, beverage shops, restaurants, conference and meeting venues, karaoke establishments, hotels, tourism accommodation, and entertainment parks as covered business types.
How Vietnam Compares to Singapore and Malaysia
| Market | Composition rights body | Sound recording rights body | Rights covered by collecting societies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vietnam | VCPMC | RIAV | 2 of 6 |
| Singapore | COMPASS | MRSS | 3 of 5 |
| Malaysia | MACP | PPM (plus RPM for performers) | 4 of 6 |
Explore MUSICVYBE Vietnam
| Related Pages |
|---|
| Vietnam |
| Decree 134 Explainer |
| Case Studies |
Frequently Asked Questions
What rights do VCPMC and RIAV licences cover?+
VCPMC covers public performance of composition. RIAV covers public performance of sound recording. Together they cover two of the six rights required for commercial music use.
What is Decree 134/2026/NĐ-CP?+
An amendment to Decree 17/2023/ND-CP that updates the royalty-calculation mechanism for commercial music use in Vietnam, effective 1 July 2026.
How does MUSICVYBE close the licensing gap?+
Through direct licences from IP owners covering reproduction, master/recording, and publishing rights — the three rights collecting societies don’t cover.
Is Vietnam’s licensing framework similar to Singapore’s or Malaysia’s?+
Yes. Vietnam’s societies cover the least: public performance only. In Singapore, MRSS also licenses reproduction; in Malaysia, PPM licenses reproduction and RPM collects the performers’ share. In every market, master and publishing rights still require direct licensing, which MUSICVYBE provides as standard.