Thailand’s SEC Bans Crypto Lending Services

Referred to liquidity problems of well-known crypto lending service providers.

Thailand's SEC Bans Crypto Firms From Offering Depository Services After Celsius, Babel, Zipmex Fiasco

The Thailand Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has banned crypto operators from providing or supporting deposit-taking and lending services. 

According to a press release by the SEC, the resolution against offering staking and lending services was approved as a means “to protect traders and the general public from the risks of such transaction providers.” 

Struggling Crypto Lenders

The SEC highlights that, at present, there are many foreign service providers facing liquidity problems. The association therefore ruled that any such struggling, foreign, depository service providers must cease the provision of services, and suspend the withdrawals of digital assets by customers. 

Celsius, a cryptocurrency lending company, suffered major fallout after CEO Alex Mashinsky was accused of taking control of trading strategy and placing trade orders based on false information. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July 2022 after closing debts owed to Compound, Aave, and Maker. 

Babel Finance, another crypto lender, lost $280 million while trading customer funds. The company subsequently suspended withdrawals amidst rising liquidity pressure. The event had a knock on effect as Zipmex, one of Asia Pacific’s most prominent digital assets exchange platforms, operating in Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and Australia, was forced to freeze withdrawals due to facing financial difficulties caused by troubled crypto lender Babel Finance. Zipmex had reportedly been exposed to losses of around $100 million due to the Babel fiasco. 

In the wake of the collapse of companies like Celsius, Babel, and Zipmex, SEC has decided to prohibit digital asset business operators, while simultaneously banning the advertising or soliciting of the same to the general public. 

Sponsored

The SEC recently imposed stringent rules around crypto advertisements, stating that ads must clearly display a balanced view of the potential risk and returns involved. Additionally, regulators must be provided with information on any and all advertising terms. Affected service operators will have 30 days to comply with the new rules from its implementation.

On the Flipside

  • The Thai SEC is becoming increasingly cautious of crypto, implementing ever more stringent rules and regulations around digital assets. 

Why You Should Care

The crypto fallout experienced by Celsius, Babel and Zipmex posed a threat to investors as withdrawals were suspended. Recently, the Bank of Thailand warned commercial banks against “direct involvement” in trading cryptocurrencies, citing their high volatility and potential risks.

Find out more about the Thai SEC’s stringent crypto policies:

Sponsored

Thailand Is Tightening Regulations on Crypto Ads

Read about the Thai SEC’s recent crackdown on Zipmex:

Thai SEC Files Police Complaint Against Crypto Exchange Zipmex for Non-Compliance

This article is for information purposes only and should not be considered trading or investment advice. Nothing herein shall be construed as financial, legal, or tax advice. Trading forex, cryptocurrencies, and CFDs pose a considerable risk of loss.

Author
Akriti Seth

Akriti is a Zurich-based reporter, focused on the political, regulatory, and legislative developments around crypto. She is a business journalist with over six years of experience working as a correspondent for organizations like Channel NewsAsia and Bloomberg TV India. In that time, Akriti has covered news in the finance, pharma, and state sectors.