Bank of Thailand Drafts Stablecoin Rules to Cut Transfer Costs
The user wants a short summary (1-2 sentences, 120-220 characters, max 240) of the Thai article about the Bank of Thailand (BOT) issuing guidelines for THB stablecoins. The summary must be in English only, plain, factual, no filler, lead wi
The Bank of Thailand (BOT) has opened public consultation on regulatory principles for businesses dealing with THB stablecoins, aiming to issue guidelines under the 2019 law on draft legislation and regulatory impact assessment. Feedback can be submitted via the BOT website or the central legal portal from October 19 to 28, 2026. Thailand already has efficient, low-cost retail payment systems like PromptPay that enjoy public trust, but the BOT recognizes the importance of monitoring and supporting responsible financial innovation that can enhance efficiency, reduce costs, or create new service models while connecting with existing financial infrastructure. Globally, tokenization on distributed ledger technology (DLT) is gaining traction for financial services, prompting many countries to pilot tokenized money, including stablecoins. The BOT views THB stablecoins — digital money pegged 1:1 to the baht with full reserve backing — as a suitable form of tokenized money for certain payments, especially those leveraging DLT and tokenized assets. These stablecoins would complement, not replace, current payment systems under an open-loop market structure separating issuers from wallet providers. The BOT emphasizes strict regulation across three dimensions: comprehensive risk management covering normal and crisis conditions, consumer protection, and financial stability.
