Thailand Mandates Travel Rule for Crypto Transfers

Thailand's financial regulator has introduced new rules to combat money laundering and terrorist financing in the crypto space. The Thailand Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has mandated that digital asset operators collect and transmit information about parties involved in certain crypto transfers, mirroring the 'Travel Rule' framework used internationally.

The SEC has set a compliance deadline of February 27, 2027, giving regulated businesses nearly six months to implement necessary systems. The new rules require operators to gather information on both sides of eligible crypto transfers and retain it for at least five years.

Self-custodial wallets will be subject to additional ownership or control verification steps when users send to or receive from them. This is a notable element of the rules, as self-hosted wallets reduce the usual intermediated link between user identity and on-chain activity.