E-wallet: A legitimate payment method enabling businesses to deduct VAT under new regulations

Starting from July 1, 2025, a new regulation enacted by the Vietnamese government requires that all purchases of goods and services valued at 5 million VND or more must be conducted through cashless payment methods to qualify for VAT deductions. Is the e-wallet included among the officially recognized payment instruments? What solutions help businesses comply with the law while optimizing financial management? 

1. The context of cashless payment is increasingly becoming mandatory for businesses

Starting from July 1, 2025, the Government of Vietnam has introduced Decree 181/2025/ND-CP, marking a significant shift in the value-added tax (VAT) policy. This regulation aims not only to enhance transparency in expenditures but also to prevent tax losses and promote the digitalization of payment methods in enterprises, especially amid the government's comprehensive push for digital transformation across various sectors. During advisory sessions, Dibee has noted ongoing uncertainties among businesses regarding which cashless payment methods qualify as legitimate and whether e-wallets are officially recognized as such.

2. Legal basis for cashless payments and conditions for VAT deduction

According to Article 26 of Decree No. 181/2025/NĐ-CP, enterprises are only eligible to deduct VAT for the purchase of goods or services valued at 5 million VND or more if the payment is made via non-cash methods. This marks a significant regulatory change, reducing the threshold from the previous 20 million VND to 5 million VND. The amendment aims to enhance financial transparency and promote digital transformation in business operations.

For example, when an enterprise makes multiple purchases in a single day from the same supplier (identified by the same tax code), invoices valued under 5 million VND (including VAT) that are paid in cash still qualify for VAT deduction. However, suppose the total daily purchase value exceeds 5 million VND. In that case, the portion of invoices exceeding this threshold must be paid via non-cash methods to be eligible for VAT deduction. In the transportation sector, it is common for daily fuel expenses for vehicle fleets to exceed 5 million VND. This creates a challenge for businesses to manage and monitor the threshold effectively if cash payment procedures remain in use.

Article 26 of Decree No. 181/2025/NĐ-CP

Clause 10, Article 3 of Decree No. 52/2024/NĐ-CP also clearly defines cashless payment instruments, which include bank transfers, bank cards, checks, and notably, e-wallets. This provision affirms that e-wallets are not only a convenient payment method in the digital era but also a legally recognized valid means for enterprises to conduct cashless transactions.

Clause 10, Article 3 of Decree No. 52/2024/NĐ-CP

Specifically, the Dibee e-wallet has been officially licensed by the State Bank of Vietnam as a legal cashless payment instrument. Using the Dibee e-wallet for fuel purchases enables enterprises to fully comply with legal and tax authority requirements, ensuring that they remain eligible for VAT deduction under the new regulations.

3. Start your digital transformation with Dibee today to optimize fuel costs

Dibee offers a comprehensive fuel payment and cost management solution with an automated process for collecting and reconciling fuel invoices. Funds are transferred directly from the enterprise's e-wallet account to the e-wallet accounts of fuel suppliers, enabling businesses not only to digitize their payment processes but also to manage transactions transparently and efficiently.

Drivers can make payments directly using the Dibee mobile app at more than 1,000 affiliated fuel stations. Thanks to seamless integration with systems of fuel suppliers, Dibee not only automates the complete collection of invoices to accurately reflect real transaction data, but also stands out for automatic reconciliation, ensuring invoice information accuracy and minimizing risk of loss. The ability to categorize invoices by filters such as issuance date, supplier, branch, or department helps lighten the manual workload for accounting staff.

All invoices are centralized on the online web portal, allowing managers to easily download individual invoices or batch download up to 300 invoices at a time with just a few clicks. Watch a detailed video guide on Guide to Paying Fuel Costs via the Dibee Mobile Application

In addition, enterprises can easily monitor and generate detailed reports on fuel usage performance, control spending budgets by vehicle, driver, or department/business unit in a flexible and comprehensive manner. This solution is not merely a payment tool but also a powerful assistant in managing fleet finances, providing peace of mind and saving time and costs for businesses.

The solution helps digitize the payment process, minimize fraud risks, and supports enterprises in enhancing transparency and tightening budget controls.

The Dibee e-wallet is trusted by many leading enterprises, especially in the transportation and logistics sectors, due to its high security and effectiveness in managing fleet expenses. Major clients and many manufacturing and express delivery companies have reported fuel cost savings of 7-10% after adopting Dibee.

See more details about the Success Stories of Dibee.

Dibee not only helps you reduce operating costs but also automates a process that is traditionally labor-intensive, costly, and prone to risks when done manually. This solution is not only a sound financial strategy but also a necessary step forward in the digital transformation journey for fleet management and efficient business operations.

👉 Contact Dibee now for a detailed consultation on the solution!

• Hotline: (028) 73 03 66 99

• Email: sales@dibee.co

• Leave your information in this form, and we will get back to you shortly.