Abstract
In 2023, Vietnam was added to the Financial Action Task Force and the European Union’s grey list due to specific deficiencies in its anti-money laundering framework, particularly in the criminalization and enforcement of money-laundering offences. This article undertakes a comparative analysis of Vietnam’s legal framework against international standards to identify existing limitations. Drawing upon statistical data and case studies, it examines the gaps in the prosecution of money-laundering offences. This research distinguishes itself by integrating European Union standards into the analysis, identifying previously unreported issues, while providing a comprehensive examination of the underlying causes of current challenges. Based on these insights, the paper proposes reforms to strengthen Vietnam’s criminalization and prosecution of money-laundering offences, thereby facilitating the country’s removal from the grey list.