Thailand's SEC finalizes rules for Bitcoin and Ether ETFs

Thailand now has a finished rulebook for crypto exchange-traded funds. On October 8, 2026, the country's Securities and Exchange Commission issued 11 notifications that set out how ETFs built on digital assets will work.

The framework takes effect on October 16, 2026.

The opening lineup is short. Only Bitcoin and Ethereum qualify as underlying assets in this first phase, and the funds can trade only on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET).

No crypto ETF has actually launched yet. Asset managers are still finishing their setups and seeking the approvals they need from the SEC before anything reaches a trading screen.

Every fund has to be passive and track a single asset. A Bitcoin ETF follows Bitcoin, and an Ethereum ETF follows Ethereum.

Each fund must keep an average net exposure of at least 80% of its net asset value to its tracked crypto over each accounting year.

The underlying crypto must sit with onshore digital asset custodians that the SEC supervises.

The funds trade only on the SET.

Investors cannot use margin lending to buy them.

The SEC also put investor protections around the products. These include risk education, suitability assessments, and a confirmation process meant to make sure buyers understand what they are getting into.