Thailand finalizes rules paving way for Bitcoin, Ether ETFs — SkimNews
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- Thailand's Securities and Exchange Commission finalized rules permitting crypto ETFs to list on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, limited initially to Bitcoin and Ether, effective October 16, 2026.
- Products linked to foreign crypto ETFs — including depositary receipts — are barred initially, and Thai brokers cannot facilitate overseas crypto ETF investments for retail investors outside institutions and ultra-high-net-worth individuals.
- The regulator also amended rules allowing mutual funds and private funds to invest in Thai-established crypto ETFs, expanding the investor base beyond direct stock-market trading.
- Crypto ETFs must operate as passive vehicles tracking a single asset, maintain at least 80% average net exposure to one cryptocurrency during each accounting year, and cannot be purchased on margin.
- Fund assets must be custodied with SEC-regulated digital asset custodians, and investors must confirm they understand the risks before trading.
- Attakrit Chimphlapibul, co-founder of Bitkub Group, pointed to the US Spot Bitcoin ETF and Spot Ethereum ETF launches as creating "new avenues for institutional and retail investors" to access digital assets.
- The SEC consulted on principles in April and May and on draft regulations in August and September, with most respondents supporting the proposals.
Why it matters: Thai retail investors gain a regulated, stock-market-listed path to Bitcoin and Ether exposure, while the ban on foreign crypto ETF products and restrictions on overseas broker access keep capital inside Thailand's regulatory perimeter. Mutual funds and private funds — previously limited to foreign crypto ETFs — now have a domestic vehicle to channel allocations through.
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