Thailand is taking a major step toward advancing its crypto futures market. 

On the 20th of April, Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed a revision of the current licensing framework for derivatives business to incorporate crypto firms. According to the regulator, the move would: 

Allow digital asset business operators to apply for derivatives business licenses without the need to establish new legal entities.

Additionally, the watchdog said that the proposal would enhance broader recognition of crypto assets as an investment class and empower investors with extra options for risk hedging.  

With the changes, the SEC has also sought revised financial reporting to strengthen regulatory oversight of the segment. 

The move follows a Cabinet meeting in February 2026, which effectively approved the expansion of allowed assets in the Derivatives Act B.E 2546 (2003) to cover crypto.  

At that time, Mrs. Pornanong Budsaratragoon, SEC Secretary-General, said, 

This development will help promote more inclusive market growth, facilitate diversification and more effective risk management, and expand investment opportunities for a broader range of investors.

The latest update is an implementation of the February decree. By extension, it would further offer regulatory clarity in one of the hottest segments of the crypto market – derivatives. 

Despite the broader crypto traction since last October, derivatives have seen four times ($3.5 trillion) more trading activity than spot markets ($0.8 trillion). 

But will the ongoing clear rules and crypto expansion improve Thailand’s competitiveness? Well, the country has had significant positive changes lately. 

Last year, Thailand offered a five-year waiver on capital gains tax for crypto investments. In other words, some taxes will only be applied from 2030, an attractive proposition that aims to boost the growing local crypto industry. 

It’s worth pointing out, however, that the broader APAC region has seen the highest crypto adoption growth globally in 2025. 

Some of the fastest-growing countries were India, Japan, Indonesia, and South Korea, which recorded a double surge in on-chain value received between 2024 and 2025. Thailand ranked seventh, receiving nearly $100 billion in 2025 alone, per Chainalysis. 

Whether the ongoing regulatory clarity will accelerate Thailand’s crypto adoption remains to be seen. 

• Thailand is pushing to simplify rules for licensing of derivative firms, including those handling crypto assets.
• The regulator believes that the directive would give investors extra risk management tools and promote crypto as an investment asset class.