Thailand's central bank and its Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) stepped up scrutiny of unusually high trading volumes of stablecoins including Tether (USDT), as regulators sought to curb illicit transactions moving money through the country's large informal or 'grey' economy, Thai media reported.
Thailand's Central Bank, SEC Probe Stablecoin Surge in Grey Economy: Thai Media
14 July 2026 - 04:33 CEST
Vitai Ratanakorn, governor of the Bank of Thailand, told a Thai journalists' training session that measures under consideration for the fourth quarter included reviews of cash deposits, banknote exchange and gold trading, as well as coordination with regulators to investigate suspicious digital asset transactions, Thansettakij reported on 11 Jul.
"The measures being taken are not short-term solutions, but require a continuous series of measures working together," he said. The moves follow an April mandate requiring individuals who deposit 5mn baht ($150,000) or more in cash to verify the source of their funds.
Thailand's informal economy accounts for about 38.6% of GDP, according to World Economics.
