Thailand SEC opens consultations on Bitcoin and Ether ETF rules

Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission has kicked off a public consultation period to build out rules for spot crypto ETFs, covering everything from fund structure to custody standards. The consultation opened on April 10 and runs through May 11, giving market participants a month to weigh in on what could become Southeast Asia’s most comprehensive crypto ETF framework. Only two digital assets made the cut for the initial phase: Bitcoin and Ethereum. What the proposed rules actually require The SEC is proposing that these ETFs be structured as mutual funds. Funds would need to maintain an average net exposure of at least 80% of their net asset value to a single eligible digital asset. The strategy must be passive. No active trading, no tactical allocation shifts. Listing would be restricted exclusively to the Stock Exchange of Thailand. The SEC is also mandating investor education measures as part of the framework. Custody and governance standards The proposed amendments would allow licensed digital asset custodians and qualified digital asset business operators to serve as fund trustees or supervisors. Context and timeline This isn’t Thailand’s first move on crypto ETFs. Th...