Thailand has formally integrated cryptocurrencies into its financial markets after the Cabinet approved amendments expanding the scope of assets permitted under the country’s Derivatives Act.

The decision allows digital assets to be used as underlying instruments for regulated futures and options contracts, bringing cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin into Thailand’s mainstream capital markets framework, according to a Bangkok Post report.

The Finance Ministry’s proposal, endorsed at a Cabinet meeting on Feb. 10, is designed to align the domestic derivatives market with international standards while reinforcing supervisory safeguards and investor protection.

Following the approval, the Securities and Exchange Commission will amend the Derivatives Act B.E. 2546 and draft detailed rules governing market participation. 

The regulator said it will revise derivatives business licenses so digital asset operators can offer crypto-linked contracts, review supervisory requirements for exchanges and clearing houses, and work with Thailand Futures Exchange Public Company Limited to determine contract specifications that reflect the volatility and risk characteristics of digital assets.

According to SEC Secretary-General Pornanong Budsaratragoon, the expansion of permissible goods and variables under the law would strengthen the status of crypto as an investment asset class and broaden investment opportunities.

She noted that the changes are intended to promote market inclusiveness, support portfolio diversification, and improve risk management tools available to investors.

In addition to cryptocurrencies, the amendments reclassify carbon credits in a manner that enables the introduction of physically delivered futures contracts alongside cash-settled products.

The measure aligns with the country’s draft Climate Change Act and carbon neutrality goals.

Nirun Fuwattananukul, CEO of Binance Thailand, said the move signals that digital assets are no longer viewed as speculative tools but are instead seen as assets capable of reshaping capital markets. 

“It sends a strong signal that Thailand is positioning itself as a forward-looking leader in Southeast Asia’s digital economy,” he added.

The reform builds on a regulatory framework that has steadily evolved since 2018, when Thailand enacted the Emergency Decree on Digital Asset Businesses, granting the SEC licensing and enforcement authority over exchanges and token issuers.

Oversight has since expanded to include stricter operational rules, enhanced investor protection measures, and a ban on using cryptocurrencies for payments.

Stablecoin trading, however, was approved on local exchanges last year, though consumer use remains restricted and crypto payments continue to be prohibited by the central bank.

The SEC’s broader 2026 capital markets roadmap also includes plans to introduce crypto exchange-traded funds as part of a strategy to attract institutional participation. 

Deputy Secretary-General Jomkwan Kongsakul said last month that crypto ETFs could be launched early this year, subject to legal amendments.

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