On 2 September, Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) published a new framework called the “Travel Rule for Digital Assets (TRDA),” set to take effect on 27 February 2027. The rule requires licensed crypto platforms to identify customers and counterparties, including owners of self-hosted wallets, and submit sender and beneficiary data for every transaction. This data must be held for five years. The SEC stated the move aims to “ensure that digital asset business operators have sufficient information to assess and manage money laundering risks in line with international standards.” The regulations align with global standards from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to combat illicit finance.
Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) plans to tighten crypto rules for peer-to-peer transfers and self-hosted wallets starting in 2027. On 2 September, the market watchdog published a new risk framework called the “Travel Rule for Digital Assets (TRDA).”
The SEC said the plan aims to “ensure that digital asset business operators have sufficient information to assess and manage money laundering risks in line with international standards.” The watchdog added the rules will help prevent misuse of crypto platforms for money laundering and related crimes.
According to the new guideline, licensed crypto platforms in Thailand must identify customers and their counterparties, including ownership of self-hosted wallets. Exchanges must also submit information on the sender and beneficiary of each transaction, keeping the data for at least five years.
The regulations will take effect on 27 February 2027. The regulator noted the rest of H2 2026 is enough time for players to develop compliance systems.
The update follows a global anti-money laundering campaign driven by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Although crypto accounts for a small portion of global illicit flows, its partial anonymity feature attracts some criminal elements.
Tracing peer-to-peer transfers and decentralized finance flows has long challenged regulators. Most global crypto travel rules, including Thailand’s, turn exchange cash-out points into chokepoints to enforce anti-money laundering rules.
The European Union has similar crypto AML plans by mid-2027. South Africa has already activated strict exchange capital controls linked to crypto funds. Punishment for violating these rules can include banning an entire country or region from the global financial system.
