Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has finalized Travel Rule regulations requiring digital asset operators to collect and verify counterparty information for cryptocurrency transfers, including those involving self-custodial wallets.
The rules, set to take effect on February 27, 2027, mandate that crypto businesses implement systems to transmit, receive, and monitor transaction data. Operators must verify the ownership or control of self-hosted wallets when customers send or receive crypto to or from such wallets. Self-custodial wallets, which allow users to control private keys directly, are not managed by centralized exchanges or custodians.
Under the framework, digital asset operators must retain transaction details for at least five years and make records available for regulatory examination. The SEC stated that the measures aim to reduce risks of money laundering and terrorist financing within the sector.
Thailand’s move aligns with a global trend, as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) estimated that 83% of surveyed jurisdictions had adopted Travel Rule legislation by 2026. The SEC finalized the rules following two rounds of public consultation earlier this year, with most stakeholders supporting the proposals.
The announcement follows Thailand’s consideration of broader crypto market access. On Monday, the SEC proposed allowing intermediaries to offer retail investors exposure to certain crypto derivatives traded on regulated overseas exchanges. Earlier, the regulator advanced draft rules for spot Bitcoin and Ether exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and sought feedback on requirements for foreign digital asset custodians used by crypto-investing funds.
