Vietnam Center for Protection of Music Copyright

VCPMC (Vietnam Center for Protection of Music Copyright) is the sole collective management organization for music copyright in Vietnam, established in 2002 under the Vietnam Musicians' Association. It represents over 7,200 composers and authors, licensing public performances of their works and distributing royalties collected from broadcasters, streaming services, live venues, and businesses.

How VCPMC Works

VCPMC operates as a non-profit collective management organization authorized by the Vietnamese government. It issues license contracts to organizations and individuals who use music publicly, including radio and television stations, streaming platforms, concert promoters, restaurants, cafes, retail stores, and other commercial establishments.

The royalty collection rate is determined based on current Vietnamese legal regulations, with reference to international rates adjusted for Vietnam's economic conditions. VCPMC collects fees from licensees and distributes them to member authors and rights holders based on usage data.

VCPMC is an official member of CISAC (the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers), which represents 239 member societies across 123 countries and territories with nearly 5 million authors worldwide. Through reciprocal agreements with foreign societies, VCPMC collects royalties for its members when their music is performed internationally and pays foreign royalties to Vietnamese users of international works.

Members register their compositions with VCPMC through an online portal. After registration and signing an authorization contract, members can log in to track their quarterly royalty distributions, view detailed collection and payment records, and submit new works.

In 2025, VCPMC collected over 424.3 billion VND ($16.15 million) in music royalties, an 8% increase from 2024. The organization distributed nearly 269 billion VND ($10 million) to rights holders, up 5% year over year. The performance and live entertainment segment saw the most dramatic growth at 202%, reflecting Vietnam's booming concert market. Background music royalties from businesses rose 45%, radio and television broadcasting increased 20%, and international collective management income grew 23%.

VCPMC currently represents 7,207 composers, with 696 new members joining in 2025 alone (an 11% increase). The highest individual royalty payout reached 4 billion VND ($160,000), while many composers earned between 2.5 billion and 3 billion VND ($95,000 to $115,000).

Looking ahead to 2026, VCPMC plans to accelerate digital transformation in data management, expand international cooperation, and focus on areas with persistent collection challenges such as pay television.

Real-World Example

A Vietnamese composer writes a song that becomes popular on both radio and streaming platforms. They register the work with VCPMC and sign an authorization contract. A Hanoi radio station plays the song 50 times in a quarter, Spotify reports 200,000 streams, and three restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City hold VCPMC blanket licenses covering background music.

VCPMC collects royalties from all three sources. The radio station pays based on its licensed rate, the streaming royalty comes through VCPMC's licensing agreements with digital platforms, and the restaurants pay annual licensing fees. The composer receives a quarterly distribution through the VCPMC online portal, where they can view the detailed breakdown of collections and payments.

If the same song is performed at a concert in Japan, VCPMC's CISAC membership means its reciprocal agreement with JASRAC (the Japanese PRO) allows JASRAC to collect that royalty and remit it to VCPMC, which then distributes it to the composer in a subsequent quarterly payment.

With VCPMC's 2025 collection of 424.3 billion VND, the average distribution per member was approximately 37.3 million VND ($1,425), though actual payouts vary enormously based on usage. Top-earning composers received up to 4 billion VND ($160,000), while hundreds received amounts ranging from tens of millions to several hundred million VND.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you are a Vietnamese songwriter, composer, or publisher, VCPMC is currently your only option for collective copyright management in Vietnam. There is no alternative PRO to choose from. This makes registration straightforward but also means you must ensure your works are properly registered to receive any performance royalties.

To join, complete the registration form on the VCPMC website. After verification, you will receive an authorization contract to sign. Once returned, you will receive login credentials to access the VCPMC portal, where you can register your authorized works and track quarterly royalty payments.

Register your compositions before they are publicly released. VCPMC distributes royalties quarterly, so works registered late may miss collection windows. Include accurate metadata (title, writers, publishers, ownership splits) for each composition to ensure proper royalty matching.

Vietnam's live music market grew 202% in 2025, making performance royalties from concerts and events an increasingly significant income stream. If your music is performed at live events, ensure that event organizers are reporting setlists to VCPMC. You can also submit performance notifications directly to help VCPMC track usage.

For international reach, VCPMC's CISAC membership means your royalties flow back from foreign performances. However, if you primarily work with international publishers or labels, verify that your publishing agreements do not conflict with VCPMC's collection rights.

Territory Covered

VCPMC administers music copyright exclusively within the territory of Vietnam. It is the sole collective management organization for music copyright in Vietnam, licensing public performances of musical works to radio and television stations, streaming platforms, concert promoters, restaurants, cafes, retail stores, and other commercial establishments across the country. Through its CISAC membership and bilateral agreements, VCPMC also collects royalties for its members when their music is performed in 227 countries and territories, and represents over 5 million foreign authors within Vietnam.

How to Join and Membership Fees

To join VCPMC, complete the registration form on the VCPMC website. After verification, VCPMC sends an authorization contract to sign. Once the signed contract is returned, you receive login credentials to access the VCPMC online portal, where you can register your authorized works and track quarterly royalty payments. The registration process requires providing information about your compositions, including titles, writer shares, and publisher information.

VCPMC does not charge a joining fee. The organization covers its operational costs through an administrative commission deducted from collected royalties before distribution. The specific commission rate is determined by the organization's internal regulations and applied to royalties distributed to identified rights holders.

Overhead Rate

VCPMC retains an administrative commission from collected royalties before distributing the remainder to rights holders. The exact percentage is set by the organization's internal regulations. In 2025, VCPMC collected 424.3 billion VND ($16.15 million) and distributed nearly 269 billion VND ($10 million) to rights holders, indicating an approximate overhead rate of 37% when accounting for collection costs, operational expenses, and amounts held for future distribution cycles. The organization operates as a non-profit, reinvesting surplus funds into digital transformation and data management systems.

Royalty Distribution Schedule

VCPMC distributes royalties to both domestic and international right holders four times per year (quarterly). Members can track their quarterly royalty distributions through the VCPMC online portal, which provides detailed collection and payment records. The distribution process uses usage reports from music users, broadcast logs, streaming data, and concert setlists. In 2025, the average distribution per member was approximately 37.3 million VND ($1,425), though actual payouts varied significantly based on usage. The highest individual royalty payout reached 4 billion VND ($160,000).

Reciprocal Agreements

VCPMC is an official member of CISAC (the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers). As of August 2024, VCPMC had signed bilateral agreements with 88 foreign collective management organizations worldwide. Through these agreements, works by VCPMC members are licensed and royalty-collected in 227 countries and territories. VCPMC represents over 5 million foreign authors in Vietnam through its CISAC membership and bilateral contracts. The organization has licensing agreements with major digital platforms including Apple Music, YouTube Music, Spotify, Deezer, Zing MP3, and Nhac.vn, as well as social media platforms. International collective management income grew 23% in 2025.

Notable Members

VCPMC represents over 7,207 composers and authors, with 696 new members joining in 2025 alone (an 11% increase). The organization was established under the Vietnam Musicians' Association. Notable members include:

• Dinh Trung Can (musician, General Director of VCPMC, who has spoken publicly about digital copyright protection in Vietnam)
• Hoai An (musician, one of the earliest authors to sign an authorization contract with VCPMC)
• Vietnamese composers across multiple genres including pop, bolero, and traditional music who register their works through the VCPMC portal

Comparison Table

Videos

Similar PROs

• MACP - Malaysia's collective management organization for music copyright
• JASRAC - Japan's collective management organization for composers and publishers
• KOMCA - South Korea's collective management organization for music rights
• FILSCAP - Philippines' collective management organization for music copyright

Related Resources

• Performing Rights Organizations (PRO) - What a PRO is and how it functions
• Performance Royalties - How performance royalties are generated and collected
• Collective Management Organization (CMO) - How CMOs operate globally
• Copyright - Understanding copyright protection for musical works
• VCPMC Official Website - Visit VCPMC for membership and licensing information
• Read our PRO Comparison Guide to understand how PROs differ globally
• Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to estimate your digital earnings