Thailand’s Central Bank to Tighten Oversight of ‘Grey’ Crypto Transactions

Thailand's central bank to intensify efforts against illicit digital asset circulation.

The Bank of Thailand (BOT) is set to intensify its efforts against the illicit circulation of digital assets, including monitoring ‘grey’ transactions in USDT, according to The Nation.

Governor Vithai Ratanakorn stated that approximately 40% of stablecoin sellers operating on Thai platforms are foreigners who “should not be trading” in the country.

“[BOT] no longer intends to limit itself to mere analysis. We will extend a helping hand in addressing structural issues. If these matters are not resolved, they will affect macroeconomic stability in the long term,” he added.

Alongside stablecoins, operations involving precious metals and cash baht will come under closer scrutiny by the financial regulator.

According to the central bank’s report, the daily volume of crypto trading in Thailand averages 2.8 billion baht, compared to 10-15 billion baht in the foreign exchange market. Bank representatives believe this gap does not preclude the potential use of cryptocurrency as channels for illegal operations.

The introduction of new measures to combat illegal transactions is expected by the end of January.

The central bank’s actions follow a directive from Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on January 9, which called for stricter control over gold and digital asset trading.

As part of the initiative, a national data bureau will be established to centralize financial information, enabling authorities to track suspicious transactions in real-time.

Back in December 2025, Thai authorities seized Bitcoin mining equipment worth $8.6 million (300 million baht) from seven organizations suspected of financing Chinese fraudulent groups.