Thai SEC to expand Crypto ETFs beyond Bitcoin

The Thai SEC want to open the market up to exchange-traded funds backed by other digital assets outside of the typical Bitcoin ETF that exists in the market.

According to a recent Bloomberg report, the Thai Securities and Exchange Commission secretary-general Pornanong Budsaratragoon said that the agency and other regulators are in the process of drafting rules to accommodate new Crypto ETFs.

The agency is intent on exploring ETFs backed by digital assets beyond Bitcoin ( BTC ) to draw in more investor interest in the market. These assets will be offered by local mutual funds and institutions to local and foreign investors.

“Our possibility now is to broaden the criteria for the crypto such as a basket of cryptocurrencies. We want to have broader supply of those crypto assets in the ETFs,” said Pornanong.

This declaration coincides with a boom in Crypto ETFs in the U.S markets. Most recently, October is set to be the “ETF Month” as the SEC is expected to potentially green light at least 16 crypto ETFs, which include funds pegged to Solana ( SOL ), Ripple ( XRP ), Litecoin ( LTC ), Dogecoin ( DOGE ) and more.

Thai SEC wants to attract young investors with crypto

If Thailand manages to open its markets to more crypto-backed ETFs, it could boost liquidity and exposure for more altcoins in the market. So far, Thai investors are only able gain exposure to crypto assets by buying tokens directly on exchanges or injecting money into overseas funds through a third-party asset management firm.

The move is part of the Southeast Asian region’s efforts to transform Thailand into a crypto hub. One of the recent initiatives include rolling out policies that integrate tokenized products into mainstream investments.

According to Pornanong, the Thai SEC hopes to attract young investors by offering access to Crypto ETFs without limitations. She believes the agency’s main task is to facilitate the demand for Crypto ETFs exposure.

“Some investors, especially young people, prefer to have exposure in cryptocurrencies in their portfolios as a way to diversify,” Pornanong said.

The Thai government has been getting ready to launch a cryptocurrency sandbox for foreign tourists. In July 2025, the program has entered the public hearing stage. The program will be jointly run by the Thai SEC and the central bank. It also has the support of Gulf Binance.