- Thailand’s SEC lets crypto ETFs start on 16 October with Bitcoin and Ether only.
- Funds must keep 80% net exposure to one asset, and use only licensed custodians.
- Brokers cannot offer margin loans, and buyers must confirm they understand risks.
Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission has finalized rules for crypto exchange-traded funds. Eleven notifications, issued on 8 October, take effect on 16 October 2026 after two public hearings where most respondents backed the plans.
What the New Rules Require
- Funds must be passive and track one crypto asset, keeping average net exposure to it at 80% or more of net asset value over each accounting year.
- Only Bitcoin and Ethereum qualify at the start.
- Fund companies must prove they have the staff, systems, and service providers to run a crypto ETF securely.
- Assets must sit with SEC-regulated digital asset custodians, and funds will list only on the Stock Exchange of Thailand.
- Investors must confirm they understand the risks before trading, and brokers cannot offer margin loans for these funds.
Mutual funds and private funds, previously limited to foreign crypto ETFs, can now hold Thai ones within existing limits. In the initial phase, the SEC will bar depositary receipts tied to foreign crypto ETFs, and brokers cannot help clients buy foreign crypto ETFs unless they are institutional or ultra-high-net-worth.
Built on Eight Years of Groundwork
Thailand was among the first Asian jurisdictions to license crypto businesses, through a 2018 emergency decree covering exchanges, broker-dealers, token issuers and custodians. The regulator’s 2026 to 2028 plan puts digital assets at the centre of its capital market strategy.
ETFs are one of two access routes. In February, the Cabinet approved using digital assets as underlying assets for derivatives, opening the way for crypto futures on the Thailand Futures Exchange. A licensing consultation for that market closed in May.
The SEC has also urged limited exposure for everyday investors. Earlier reports said it was guiding them to hold around 5% of a diversified portfolio in digital assets.
Transfer Tracking Rules Are Proposed
Additionally, the SEC has proposed a Travel Rule for digital asset operators. Under the draft:
- Operators would collect and verify information on the senders and recipients of crypto transfers.
- They would have to confirm that customers own or control any self-hosted wallet they send to or receive from.
- Records would be kept for at least five years, with immediate regulatory access during the first two.
The SEC said the aim is to trace funds and stop money laundering and technology-related crime.
Thailand’s new crypto ETF rules mark another step toward integrating digital assets into its regulated capital markets, giving investors a domestic route to gain exposure to Bitcoin and Ethereum. However, strict custody, risk-disclosure, and trading requirements will shape how these products reach investors.
Related: Bank of Thailand Says the Thai Baht Stablecoin Guideline Is in Its Final Stage
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