Thai SEC Crypto ETF Draft Regulations and Risks

MGR Online•Economy•2d ago

Reader Briefing

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Thailand is seeking public feedback on draft regulations for Crypto ETFs focusing on BTC and ETH.

•The SEC of Thailand issued news announcement No. 171/2026 regarding the establishment and supervision of Crypto ETFs in Thailand.
•The draft regulations allow asset management companies to manage BTC and ETH through DA Fund Managers.
•The draft requires assets to be primarily deposited with domestic custodians and restricts foreign DRs for retail investors.

•The Securities and Exchange Commission of Thailand (SEC) has opened a public hearing for the draft regulations on Crypto ETFs in Thailand according to news announcement No. 171/2026.
•The draft regulations specifically unlock investment for Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) to be managed by asset management companies via DA Fund Managers.
•The article identifies a risk regarding the use of foreign custodians, stating the SEC of Thailand may lack the jurisdiction to investigate or enforce laws if assets are misappropriated in foreign countries.
•The article references previous failures in the Thai digital asset market, including SilkSpan, Bitkub's IT and liquidity issues, and the Zipmex service suspension.
•The article compares the Thai draft to the US SEC's daily transparency requirements, the EU's MiCA Regulation criminal penalties, and the Monetary Authority of Singapore's (MAS) stress tests and insurance requirements.
•The article notes that Thai law enforcement agencies, including the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and the Economic Crime Suppression Division, face technology limitations and delays in tracing blockchain assets across borders.
•The author suggests the SEC of Thailand should mandate real-time Proof of Reserves (PoR), prioritize local custodians, and establish insurance funds.

Full article content is available on the original source.

Securities and Exchange Commission of Thailand(ก.ล.ต.)

The Thai regulator overseeing the draft regulations for Crypto ETFs in Thailand.

Zipmex

A digital asset service provider whose suspension led to investors not receiving full principal returns.

A company fined and warned by the SEC of Thailand regarding its IT systems and liquidity.

SilkSpan

A previous digital asset market entity that caused losses for retail investors.

The United States regulator that approved Spot Bitcoin ETFs with strict daily transparency and segregation rules.

Monetary Authority of Singapore(MAS)ℹ️

The Singaporean regulator that mandates international standards, stress tests, and insurance for custodians.

Department of Special Investigation(กรมสอบสวนคดีพิเศษ (DSI))ℹ️

A Thai law enforcement agency responsible for handling transnational financial crimes.

Economic Crime Suppression Division(กองบังคับการปราบปรามการกระทำความผิดเกี่ยวกับอาชญากรรมทางเศรษฐกิจ (บก.ปอศ.))

A Thai police division tasked with combating economic crimes.

Anti-Money Laundering Office(ปปง.)

A Thai agency that the author suggests should collaborate with the SEC and DSI to trace assets.

MiCA Regulation

An EU legal framework for digital assets focusing on consumer protection and criminal penalties for misappropriation.