Thailand's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will block access to five major cryptocurrency exchanges on 28 June for operating without a licence. Bybit, 1000X, CoinEx, OKX, and XT.COM offered trading services to Thai users without authorisation, leading to legal action.
The SEC aims to protect investors and prevent money laundering.
New anti-cybercrime laws passed in April give authorities broad powers to shut down suspicious websites quickly. The Royal Decree lets the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society target unlicensed platforms.
Enforcement has since intensified against offshore crypto operators.
Thailand is also adopting blockchain for public finance. The Ministry of Finance launched G-Token, a blockchain-based investment token for government bonds.
G-Tokens cannot be used as currency, maintaining a clear line from volatile cryptocurrencies. Regulators have imposed stricter customer checks and faster suspension of suspicious accounts, while extending liability to banks, telecoms, and social media firms.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so,ask our Diplo chatbot!