Thailand Moves to Integrate Cryptocurrency into Local Derivatives Market
February 12, 2026 – Danny Park, The Block
Thailand is making significant strides to incorporate cryptocurrencies into its regulated derivatives market, signaling an important evolution in the country’s financial landscape. The Thai Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently announced plans to expand the scope of permissible underlying assets in the derivatives market to include digital assets such as cryptocurrencies, as well as carbon credits.
This move follows the Thai Cabinet’s approval of a proposal aimed at bringing the derivatives market into alignment with international standards while preserving stringent oversight, risk management protocols, and investor protections. The development formally recognizes digital assets as legitimate investment instruments, thereby allowing them to underpin regulated derivatives contracts. This shift opens the door for futures, options, and other derivatives tied to cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, potentially facilitated through platforms such as the Thailand Futures Exchange (TFEX).
Pushing for Market Growth and Diversification
Pornanong Budsaratragoon, Secretary-General of the SEC, emphasized the broader implications of this expansion. “The expansion of permissible goods and variables under the Derivatives Act aims to support new forms of goods and variables,” Budsaratragoon stated. “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.”
Future Regulatory Steps
Moving forward, the SEC plans to draft comprehensive regulations to support this integration. These include amendments to existing derivatives business licenses that would enable licensed digital asset operators to offer contracts referencing digital assets. Additionally, the commission will review and update licensing and supervisory frameworks for derivatives exchanges and clearinghouses to accommodate cryptocurrencies as underlying products.
The SEC is also collaborating with TFEX to finalize the specific contract terms for derivatives linked to digital assets. This will help ensure these new products effectively manage risk and are suitable for real-world market participation.
Broader Vision for Thailand’s Digital Economy
The integration of digital assets into the derivatives market is part of Thailand’s larger strategy to position itself as a regional hub for the digital economy. In an earlier announcement this year, the Thai SEC revealed plans to introduce comprehensive regulations for a broad range of digital asset-related products and activities, including cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
By expanding the range of regulated financial instruments to include digital assets, Thailand is paving the way for increased market sophistication and investment diversity. These regulatory enhancements aim to foster innovation while maintaining a well-supervised environment to protect investors.
Disclaimer: The Block operates as an independent media outlet delivering news, research, and data on the crypto industry. As of November 2023, Foresight Ventures is a majority investor in The Block and invests in various companies within the crypto space. Despite this, The Block remains committed to providing objective and timely information. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, financial or investment advice.