Thailand’s Cabinet has approved a five-year tax exemption on cryptocurrency capital gains for trades conducted on SEC-licensed exchanges, effective from January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2029. The policy exempts personal income tax on profits from trading digital assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum, placing them on the same tax footing as stocks. Trades on unlicensed platforms remain subject to progressive rates up to 35%. Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat called the move “a key step in boosting Thailand’s economic potential.” Former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao also expressed support. The exemption aims to increase regulated trading, enhance transparency, and follows prior reforms including the removal of 7% VAT on crypto sales.
Thailand’s Cabinet has approved a five-year personal income tax exemption on capital gains from cryptocurrency trades executed on exchanges licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The policy covers Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other digital assets transacted between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2029.
Trades on unlicensed exchanges or non-compliant foreign ventures remain subject to standard progressive rates, which can reach 35%. The exemption ties the tax benefit to authorized platforms, reinforcing oversight and adherence to anti-money laundering and know-your-customer (KYC) rules.
Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat applauded the move, “This is a key step in boosting Thailand’s economic potential and a major opportunity for Thai entrepreneurs to thrive on the global stage.” Former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao also appreciated the policy.
The exemption places crypto capital gains on the same tax footing as stocks listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. According to the proposal, it aims to increase trading activity on regulated platforms and strengthen investor protection.
This follows earlier crypto-friendly reforms, including the removal of the 7% VAT on crypto sales and a cap of 15% personal income tax on certain digital-token profits. The incentive is set to expire at the end of 2029 unless extended or replaced.
As reported by TripleA, approximately 6.2 million Thai people—9.3% of the population—owned cryptocurrency in 2024. However, Thailand’s Bitkub exchange recently faced a criminal complaint over a 1.7-billion-baht hack (roughly $48 million) dating back to May 2021. Separately, South Korea has proposed a 22% crypto capital gains tax slated for early 2027, though it remains under strong opposition.
