According to the 2025 annual report by the National Competition Commission (NCC), the agency established six inspection teams for six multi-level marketing businesses last year.

All six businesses were found to be in violation and received administrative penalties totaling 1,31 billion dong. Specifically: Seacret was fined 455 million dong; Thuong Mai My Loi 265 million dong; Best World Viet Nam 190 million dong; Elken International Viet Nam 185 million dong; Unicity Marketing Viet Nam 155 million dong; and Care For Viet Nam 60 million dong.

The primary violations included not completing procedures to amend or supplement multi-level marketing operation registration certificates, operating under rules different from those registered, and failing to supervise multi-level marketing participants. Some businesses violated reporting obligations to regulatory agencies, did not comply with training regulations, or appointed unqualified trainers.

Additionally, some companies conducted multi-level marketing activities in localities without written confirmation from the provincial Department of Industry and Trade. Other violations involved not meeting the regulation that a minimum 20% of annual multi-level marketing revenue must come from customers who are not network participants.

The NCC required these businesses to rectify their violations, enhance their compliance with the law, and use the inspection results to improve management policies.

Cash transaction at a bank. Photo: Giang Huy

In 2025, the National Competition Commission received 25 petitions and complaints regarding the multi-level marketing activities of businesses and participants. Most complaints involved internal disputes within businesses, but four cases reported unlicensed multi-level marketing operations. These cases were either guided by the regulatory agency or transferred to the investigative police for review and handling.

According to the report, by the end of 2025, there were 15 businesses nationwide holding multi-level marketing operation registration certificates, a decrease of one business compared to mid-year. The regulatory agency assessed that the multi-level marketing market continued to develop stably, with businesses' operations tightly controlled, and no serious violations largely occurring.

Beyond multi-level marketing, the National Competition Commission also verified 72 cases with signs of competition violations. This included investigating one case of anti-competition in the postal sector, one case of economic concentration in the livestock sector, and 13 cases of unfair competition. As a result, 12 unfair competition cases were processed, with total fines amounting to 2,4 billion dong.

In the gold business sector, Cong ty Vang bac Da quy Sai Gon (SJC) and Bao Tin Minh Chau were each fined 200 million dong for providing misleading information about their businesses, goods, and services to attract customers from other companies. Both businesses were also required to publicly correct the violating information.

In the logistics and delivery sector, TikiNow Smart Logistics, J&T Express, SPX Express, and Giao Hang Nhanh were also each fined 200 million dong for the same act of providing misleading information to attract customers.

Additionally, several businesses in the electronics, healthcare, and pharmaceutical sectors, such as Casper Viet Nam, Fuji Medical Viet Nam, Akanwa, and Nhat Nhat, were also sanctioned for unfair competition.

Phuong Dung