The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Thailand has launched a public consultation on a regulatory pivot that would allow licensed digital asset businesses to apply for derivatives licenses directly.
The current regulatory regime requires companies to form distinct legal entities for their derivatives operations, whereas the new proposal would permit existing crypto companies to expand their services within their current business structures. The initiative aims to reduce business operational expenses while enabling Thai investors to access advanced hedging solutions and portfolio management instruments.
The regulator explained that these changes will help Thailand’s derivatives market achieve international standards while digital assets become accepted as valid underlying assets for futures contracts. The SEC will implement additional monitoring requirements to handle possible conflicts of interest through the simplified process. The public has until May 20, 2026, to provide feedback on the framework which could fundamentally reshape the competitive landscape for Southeast Asian crypto exchanges.
Global Derivatives Market Expands Amid U.S. Regulatory Shifts
Today Thailand’s legislative activities reflect the global trend which sees major digital platforms competing to create leveraged trading products. The blockchain platform Blockchain.com introduced perpetual futures trading which users can access through its self-custody wallet that allows 40x leverage without needing to send funds to a centralized exchange.
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The two platforms Kraken and Coinbase now provide non-U.S. users perpetual futures trading for both cryptocurrencies and equities which demonstrates a wider industry trend towards 24/7 operations that support multiple asset classes.
The United States has traditionally banned most high-leverage products but current regulations appear to become less restrictive. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has announced its efforts to develop a framework for enabling crypto perpetual futures which it expects to progress in upcoming months.
The major market players establish their positions through strategic company acquisitions as Kraken has done by acquiring the U.S.-approved derivatives exchange Bitnomial which prepares them to dominate the American market after federal authorities grant permission.
