At a glance

  • Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued 11 notifications on Thursday, 8 Oct, setting the framework for crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and they take effect on 16 Oct 2026.
  • In this first phase only bitcoin and ether funds are allowed, and they must list and trade exclusively on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), the country’s main exchange.

Thailand’s SEC said the notifications cover how crypto ETFs are set up, how asset managers may delegate digital-asset investing, and which digital-asset custodians and other licensed operators can act as fund supervisors, according to the regulator’s release. A digital-asset custodian is a firm licensed to hold crypto on behalf of others.

“Crypto ETFs will be listed and traded exclusively on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET),” the SEC said. Fund assets may be held only by custodians the SEC regulates.

The funds must be passive and track a single asset, Cointelegraph reported, with average net exposure to that asset of at least 80% of net asset value over each accounting year. TokenPost gave the same figure and the same bitcoin-and-ether limit.

What investors can and cannot do

Brokers may not lend on margin to buy crypto ETFs, according to Cointelegraph and TokenPost. Investors must receive information on the product’s risks and confirm they understand them before trading, the SEC said.

Products linked to foreign crypto ETFs, such as depositary receipts, are not permitted at first, Cointelegraph reported. Thai brokers also stay barred from arranging overseas crypto ETF investments for retail clients, with institutions and ultra-high-net-worth investors the exception.

The SEC also amended its rules so that mutual funds and private funds can hold Thai-listed crypto ETFs. Until now they could invest only in foreign ones, Cointelegraph reported.

The regulator consulted on the principles in April and May and on the draft notifications in August and September, and most respondents backed the proposals, Cointelegraph said.

The coverage CryptoWatchDesk reviewed does not name an asset manager that has applied for or won approval, or give a listing date.

Why it matters: Thailand is building a route for investors to hold bitcoin and ether through a locally listed fund, while keeping margin lending and foreign-fund products out for now. Regional rule-making is moving at different speeds, and South Korea is still finalising its Digital Asset Basic Act. For how such funds work, see our guide to spot bitcoin ETFs.

The rules start on 16 Oct. The next step to watch is which asset manager files first.

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This article is for information only and is not investment advice.