Thailand’s finance ministry has unveiled a plan to drop capital gains tax on cryptocurrencies for five years. Starting Jan. 1, 2025, and running through Dec. 31, 2029, people selling coins like bitcoin through licensed Thai platforms won’t pay tax on those profits. The move comes as Bangkok tries to pull more trading activity under its roof while keeping an eye on money‑laundering rules. Tax Breaks Aim To Boost Trading According to Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat, the tax holiday is meant to make Thailand a bigger player on the crypto map. It covers any gains from trades done via firms registered with the Thai SEC. Traders could save a hefty sum if prices rise sharply over the next five years. INTEL: Thailand has approved a five-year tax exemption on crypto capital gains, valid through 2029 — Solid Intel (@solidintel_x) June 17, 2025 Rules Tie Break To Licensed Firms Based on reports from the ministry, this concession only applies when someone uses a local, licensed crypto asset service provider. That means anyone buying or selling coins with an overseas, unlicensed platform won’t get the break. It steers volumes toward exchanges that follow Thailand’s KYC and AML checks. Exchange Crackdown Sends Clear Message Thailand has already barred five big names—Bybit, OKX, CoinEx, XT.COM and Bitrue—for operating without local permission. Those blocks kick in on June 28. It’s a warning. Get properly licensed or get shut out. At the same time, firms like KuCoin have jumped on board by launching a fully regulated Thai arm after grabbing an SEC license this past Friday. Tourists Get Crypto Spending Rights The regulatory shake‑up even stretches to visitors. From late May, tourists will be able to pay for goods and services with crypto at approved spots. That could include hotels, restaurants and shops that install the right payments system. The idea is to give travelers more ways to spend, boosting tourist foot traffic and keeping more money in the local economy. Based on projections by the finance ministry, all these steps might help Thailand’s economy grow and add at least 1 billion baht (about $31 million) in extra tax revenue over the medium term. The hope is that a livelier crypto scene will spark fresh corporate registrations, higher trading fees and more spending by foreigners. At the same time, Thailand is taking a strict line on compliance. Any firm or exchange that wants to serve local customers must register with the SEC and follow AML policies endorsed by the Financial Action Task Force. That mix of rewards and rules shows Bangkok wants to lure in new players without letting illicit money slip through the cracks. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
