Thailand SEC Speeds Up Digital-Asset Push, Accelerates Bitcoin ETF Plan at SEABW 2026

Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission is accelerating efforts to bring more of the digital-asset market into the regulatory mainstream, including stablecoins, security tokens and crypto exchange-traded funds. The regulator also aims to establish digital assets as a new asset class and press ahead with on-chain financial infrastructure.

Butree Vangsirirungruang, a director at the Thai SEC, said in a keynote speech on May 20 at Southeast Asia Blockchain Week 2026 at Bangkok’s ICONSIAM that support for digital technology and the digital-asset industry is a core strategy for the next three years.

She said the Thai government is actively pursuing real-world asset tokenization and the buildout of on-chain financial infrastructure. The SEC is discussing security-token issuance projects with multiple financial institutions and is also operating a sandbox program.

The regulator plans to expand on-chain issuance and real-time settlement to improve financial access and liquidity. It is also reviewing a range of digital payment models, including stablecoins, tokenized deposits and e-money tokens.

The Thai SEC is also moving to broaden crypto investment products. Spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs could launch in the third quarter of this year, while the regulator pushes ahead with a framework for a crypto futures market.

The first single-asset crypto ETFs based on Bitcoin and Ether could debut in the third quarter, Butree added. Digital assets will become an asset class that investors can access more broadly.

At the same time, she emphasized stronger anti-money laundering safeguards and investor protection. The Thai SEC is tightening know-your-customer checks and suspicious-transaction monitoring for digital-asset operators, and plans to expand regulation of unauthorized overseas platforms.

“The growth of the digital-asset industry and investor protection must go hand in hand,” Butree said. The regulator will strengthen its market surveillance system using AI technology to boost trust in the digital-asset market.