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Binance Thailand CEO identifies Thai market shift from retail to institutions

Web3 & Enterprise·October 28, 2024, 7:17 AM

The focus of Thailand’s crypto market is moving towards institutional business rather than retail. That’s the view of Nirun Fuwattananukul, CEO of Binance Thailand.

 

Changing regulatory landscape

Fuwattananukul laid out his thoughts on the matter in an opinion piece published by the Bangkok Post on Oct. 25. The Binance executive believes that the regulatory conditions are changing in the country such that institutional involvement in digital assets will become more likely.

 

Fuwattananukul pointed to a proposal that was put forward by the Thai Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) earlier this month. The proposal, published on Oct. 9, seeks to permit mutual and private equity funds in Thailand to invest in various crypto products, including the spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that were launched in the United States earlier this year.

 

Back in June, the Thai SEC green-lighted the launch of homegrown spot Bitcoin ETFs. In August, the regulator launched the Digital Asset Regulatory Sandbox, inviting interested parties to test crypto-related services within a controlled environment.

 

Fuwattananukul described the SEC’s new rules opening institutional access to digital asset products as a “vital step in the maturation of Thailand’s cryptocurrency landscape.” The Binance Thailand CEO added that “by allowing more institutional funds to participate, the SEC is enabling a diverse range of investment strategies and helping digital assets gain broader acceptance in the mainstream.”

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Photo by Vadim Artyukhin on Unsplash

Potential regional crypto hub

It’s based on this rationale that the Binance executive perceives a shift in focus within the crypto market in Thailand, with the likelihood of more money flowing into the space from institutional sources than from retail. 

 

The entry of institutional money could lead to a “more mature ecosystem,” while further legitimizing Bitcoin and the crypto space more broadly. Extending that line of thought, Fuwattananukul suggests that this change of focus to institutional involvement could lead to positioning Thailand as a regional digital asset hub.

RWA tokenization

The Binance Thailand executive also identified the tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs) as an area that’s trending right now. He cites it as an example of the convergence of TradFi and digital assets markets. Fuwattananukul stated:

 

“Tokenisation brings 24/7 trading, increased liquidity, and cross-border accessibility, which could reshape traditional financial markets and make investment opportunities more inclusive.”

 

Back in January, Thailand’s SEC introduced new rules that lifted restrictions on retail investors accessing two classes of tokenized RWAs. The change affected real estate-backed tokens or tokens linked to real estate revenues. Prior to the rule change, retail investors couldn’t invest more than $8,415 in such tokenized assets.

 

In collaboration with Gulf Innova, a subsidiary of Gulf Energy Development, Binance launched Binance Thailand as a joint venture in January. The SEC had awarded the business a trading license in 2023.

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