Thailand’s Ministry of Finance has announced plans to issue $150 million worth of digital investment tokens, giving regular people the chance to invest in government bonds.
- Blockchain: A secure technology that records transactions, ensuring G-tokens are transparent and trustworthy.
- Government Bond: A loan to the government that pays interest; here, “G-tokens” are digital bonds anyone can buy.
- Tokenisation: Transforming assets (like bonds) into digital tokens on a blockchain, so you can invest with as little as $3.
Thailand to unlock investment opportunities through tokenization
Finance Minister, Pichai Chunhavajira shared the news during a press briefing, saying the government will launch what it calls “G-tokens” within the next two months, according to The Bangkok Post.
Pichai explained that this first batch of tokens is meant to test the market, and he promised investors better returns than regular bank savings, though he did not give exact numbers.
Patchara Anuntasilpa, head of the Public Debt Management Office, encouraged people to invest, saying the new tokens make it easier for more individuals to take part in the digital economy. “With just $3, anyone can start investing in government bonds,” he said.
The report clarified that the asset is not a cryptocurrency. It will be available for trading on licensed digital asset exchanges, but these platforms are not open to foreign residents living in Thailand.
Which countries are using tokenization, and what are their most famous projects?
Thailand is not alone in exploring tokenization; other countries have also launched similar projects to modernize finance, like:
- Hong Kong – Green Bond Tokenization (2023): Hong Kong issued a $102 million tokenized green bond, the world’s first government-issued green bond on a blockchain. It was aimed at speeding up settlement and increasing transparency.
- United Kingdom – Digital Gilt Trials (2023–2024): The UK’s HM Treasury and Bank of England have explored tokenizing government bonds as part of their digital finance strategy, with plans to pilot blockchain-based bond issuance through Project Rosalind.
- Singapore – Project Guardian (2022–ongoing): The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) launched a pilot to explore tokenized government securities, foreign exchange, and funds to test real-time settlement and improved cross-border finance.
- Brazil – DREX (formerly Real Digital, 2023–2024): Brazil’s central bank started testing tokenized versions of public debt and other assets as part of its digital currency platform DREX, aiming to allow easier access to government-backed financial products.
- El Salvador – Volcano Bonds: A tokenized bond initiative aimed at raising $1 billion to fund the development of Bitcoin City and invest in Bitcoin mining using volcanic geothermal energy. The bonds are issued on the Blockstream Liquid Network, a Bitcoin sidechain, and represent one of the first national efforts to use blockchain technology for sovereign debt.
Thailand’s move to launch G-tokens marks a bold step toward making investment more modern and more accessible. By allowing everyday people to buy government bonds with as little as $3. But this is only a starting point. If the pilot succeeds, it could lead to a wider shift in how people interact with public finance in Thailand and beyond, and open the debate for new questions like; Could tokenization become the new standard for how governments raise money and connect with citizens?
Thailand’s experiment may indicate how the world thinks about trust, access, and innovation in the digital economy. The question now is: how ready are we to take part in this new financial era?
