Registering a .vn domain costs a fraction of recovering one through proceedings — but registering every extension and every variant is wasteful and hard to manage. This article helps FDI brands define a sensible defensive domain portfolio for Vietnam: which extensions, which variants are genuinely worth holding, how maintenance costs are composed, and how to administer the portfolio so names are not lost through a missed renewal.
Why defensive domains are cheap insurance
The .vn domain is registered broadly on a first-come basis under Decree No. 147/2024/ND-CP and the Internet resource management rules. A domain name is not itself an examined intellectual property right like a trademark: the faster mover usually keeps the name, and before an FDI brand enters the market, the domain matching its mark is a classic squatting target. Recovering one through mediation, arbitration or court under Article 16 of Decree No. 147/2024 — with the time involved and the risk of an unidentifiable holder — costs many times more than years of defensive registration and renewal.
Beyond squatting, identical or near-identical domains are used to build fake sales websites, harvest customer data or run competitive advertising. Each such incident causes reputational harm and handling costs far exceeding domain renewal fees. Defensive registration should therefore be viewed as operational insurance, not administrative overhead.
A sensible defensive portfolio: extensions and variants
Layer one is the priority Vietnamese extensions: .vn and .com.vn for the exact brand name, the two endings Vietnamese users trust and type most, together with the international .com if not already held. Layer two is name variants: the brand written solid and hyphenated, its common Vietnamese transliteration or rendering, and the brand plus a sector keyword (for example the flagship product name) for the combinations impersonators use most. Layer three — only for large brands or those already facing impersonation — covers common typos and industry-relevant newer extensions.
Conversely, there is no need to register every existing extension or every imaginable typo: an inflated portfolio raises renewal fees and administrative burden while adding very little protection. The selection principle is simple: if someone else holding the name could genuinely confuse Vietnamese customers or block the brand’s market entry, it belongs in the defensive set. A .vn domain for a foreign holder should be registered through a registrar with correct holder information, and ideally in the name of the trademark owner itself to keep the rights portfolio aligned.
Maintenance costs and portfolio administration
Each domain’s annual cost comprises the regulated maintenance fee and the registrar’s pricing, plus internal administration. Fee schedules and service prices change over time and differ by registrar, so companies should take current quotations when budgeting rather than relying on old reference figures. The total defensive budget usually remains very small compared with the trademark protection budget, especially when the portfolio is kept lean under the selection principle above.
The biggest risk to a defensive portfolio is not cost but administration: domains expiring because staff changed, the admin mailbox is no longer read, or holder information is not updated and the name is revoked under the rules. Companies should consolidate all domains with one registrar, use a durable admin mailbox not tied to an individual, enable auto-renewal and transfer locks, and review the portfolio annually alongside the trademark portfolio review. Losing a defensive domain to expiry can force the very dispute process the portfolio existed to avoid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should defensive domains (.vn, .com.vn) be registered for the brand?
Yes, for the material extensions and variants. The .vn domain works on a first-come basis; registering and maintaining a selective portfolio costs far less than the time and money needed to recover one squatted domain through mediation, arbitration or court. Defensive registration also blocks fake websites using the exact brand name to sell goods or harvest customer data.
Which domain extensions should be registered to protect a brand?
Prioritise .vn and .com.vn for the exact brand name, plus the international .com if not already held. Next come practical variants: the name written solid and hyphenated, its common Vietnamese transliteration or rendering, and brand-plus-flagship-product combinations that impersonators favour. Extend to common typos and sector extensions only for large brands or actual impersonation cases; registering every existing extension is unnecessary.
What is the annual maintenance cost of defensive domains?
Each domain carries a regulated maintenance fee and the registrar’s price, both of which change over time, plus minimal internal administration. Take current quotations from registrars when budgeting; for a selective portfolio the total annual cost is typically far below that of a single domain dispute. Keeping the portfolio lean and reviewing it annually is the best cost control.
Is there a squatting risk if defensive registration is skipped?
Yes, clearly: domains matching trademarks are a familiar squatting target because registration is first-come. If taken, the company must go through the dispute mechanism in Article 16 of Decree No. 147/2024/ND-CP on the unfair competition ground in Article 130 of the IP Law — time-consuming, costly, and with no guarantee of identifying the holder. Registering defensively as the brand prepares to enter Vietnam avoids this risk at the lowest cost.
FLAT Law Firm helps FDI brands design defensive domain portfolios for Vietnam and audit existing domain holdings alongside the trademark portfolio. Contact us for registration scope advice matched to your brand’s scale.
This article has been quality-reviewed by the FLAW AI Legal Council