Crypto Tax Rates in Thailand

Thailand has been a favorite destination for digital nomads for years. It offers a lower cost of living, stunning beaches, and incredible food. However, the influx of foreign workers earning in stronger currencies and spending locally has created new economic dynamics that can destabilize the internal market. 

In response, Thai authorities have tightened regulations to monitor and manage this financial flow to prevent negative effects on the local economy.

When it comes to crypto, Thailand remains very cautious. 

Despite being popular among foreign travelers, digital nomads, and tech entrepreneurs, the country is not crypto-friendly for everyday use. 

In fact, using cryptocurrency to pay for goods and services is prohibited. What most people do instead is convert their crypto into fiat through peer-to-peer (P2P) exchanges, but it goes far beyond that.

In the guide below, we’ll explore how Thailand regulates digital assets, how the rules differ for residents and visitors, and what you can realistically expect when using cryptocurrency as a foreigner living or working in Thailand.

Is Crypto Taxable In Thailand?

Yes, crypto is taxable in Thailand, as long as you qualify as a tax resident. In simple terms, if you live in the country for more than 180 days within a calendar year, you’re considered a Thai tax resident and must pay taxes on your worldwide income and portfolio, which includes cryptocurrency.

Under Thai law, cryptocurrency is recognized as a digital asset and falls under the personal income tax (PIT) system. The Revenue Department oversees this framework, applying a progressive tax rate depending on your total earnings.

However, the government has also introduced new exemptions to encourage digital asset investment and attract capital into the local market. At the same time, exchanges and brokerages are required to report user trading data for tax compliance, giving the authorities visibility over who trades what, similar to how the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) operates in Europe.

Is Thailand Crypto-Friendly?

At this moment, Thailand is not considered a crypto-friendly country. Unlike Bulgaria or Hungary, which offer preferred tax rates, or the United Arab Emirates, where crypto is part of a national innovation plan, Thailand doesn’t have a dedicated institution or long-term policy built around digital assets.

Regulation evolved quickly, from being nearly non-existent to becoming strict, mainly as a reaction to the growing influx of foreign remittances entering the local economy. Today, the government is trying to balance two goals: attracting digital-asset investment and protecting the stability of its internal market.

One of the clearest signs of Thailand’s cautious approach is that using crypto to pay for goods and services is prohibited. Since April 1, 2022, it has been illegal to make retail payments with crypto. You can still hold or trade it, but everyday transactions must be conducted in Thai baht. In practice, most people convert their crypto to fiat through licensed platforms or peer-to-peer (P2P) exchanges before spending locally.

That said, Thailand has recently introduced a five-year personal income tax exemption on gains from digital-asset trading through licensed Thai operators, effective January 2025 to December 2029. The measure applies to individual investors, including foreign residents, but not to corporations.

If you’re not a Thai tax resident (less than 180 days in the country), Thai tax applies only to Thai-sourced gains. But if you are a tax resident, any foreign income remitted to Thailand becomes taxable under the 2024 remittance rule, while crypto gains from licensed exchanges remain exempt (2025–2029).

In short, Thailand’s policy toward crypto is cautious yet evolving, allowing participation in its digital-asset market but keeping firm boundaries around how it interacts with the real economy.

What Is The Tax Exemption On Crypto In Thailand?

When we talk about a tax exemption, it’s important to be realistic about what that actually means in Thailand. 

Like every country, Thailand has a standard annual tax-free allowance, around 150,000 THB (≈ USD 4,100), that applies to all income, including crypto gains. Anything above that enters the country’s progressive income tax system, which ranges from 5 % to 35 %, depending on how much you earn.

Now, the much-discussed five-year exemption for digital-asset trading (2025 – 2029) sounds like a big step forward, but in practice, it does very little. 

The measure applies only to buying and selling tokens on Thai-licensed exchanges, and even then, it’s not entirely tax-free. Before you trade, your fiat deposits and withdrawals can still be subject to transaction fees or VAT. You also can’t mine, stake, claim airdrops, or earn yield under this benefit, all of those activities remain taxable. And when you finally convert your crypto to fiat, that income becomes part of your personal income tax base again.

In other words, the “exemption” removes one narrow layer of taxation inside regulated exchanges, but it doesn’t shield you from taxes overall. You’ve already paid tax on the money you used to invest, and you’ll likely pay again when you withdraw or spend your earnings. 

It’s not a full tax break,  it’s a limited incentive meant to attract trading volume and signal that Thailand is open to digital assets, even if the practical benefits remain modest.

What Is Exempt from Crypto Tax In Thailand?

In Thailand, crypto is treated as part of your personal income taxation, so there are only a few situations where you can consider something “exempt.”

First, there’s the annual tax-free allowance that applies to all income, roughly 150,000 THB (≈ USD 4,100) per year. That’s your general income threshold before progressive tax rates start, and it includes any earnings from crypto.

Second, there’s the five-year trading exemption (2025–2029) that applies to buying and selling digital assets on Thai-licensed exchanges and brokers. In theory, those trades are tax-free. In practice, the exemption only applies within those specific platforms. 

The moment you move your crypto to foreign exchanges, or you bring profits earned abroad into Thailand, those funds become taxable income under the country’s remittance rule.

Transferring crypto between your own wallets is generally not a taxable event, but this depends on whether those wallets are linked to Thai or foreign exchanges. If the movement involves foreign-sourced income that later enters Thailand, it can trigger taxation.

As for using crypto to pay for goods or services, that remains prohibited since 2022, you can’t make retail payments with it. 

The same logic applies to gifting crypto. While Thailand doesn’t have crypto-specific gift-tax rules, gifts are still treated as personal income for the recipient. Depending on the relationship between giver and receiver, a small amount may fall under the annual exemption, but anything beyond that would still count as taxable income.

In short, Thailand’s exemptions are limited to basic income thresholds and regulated local trades. Everything else,  from foreign profits to gifts, eventually finds its way back into the country’s tax net.

Until When Is the Crypto Tax Exemption in Thailand?

The crypto tax exemption in Thailand is valid until December 31, 2029.

Are All Cryptocurrency-Related Activities Exempt from Tax?

No. The only tax exceptions are buying and selling within licensed exchanges and brokers in Thailand that are registered under the SEC. It's very specific. If you stake mine or receive airdrops, for example, even within these licensed platforms, you are paying taxes on it. If you buy or sell, but you use a foreign exchange, you're paying taxes on it as well.

Is There a Capital Gains Tax on Crypto in Thailand?

Yes, Thailand does have a capital gains tax, but it applies specifically to assets such as real estate or company shares, not directly to crypto. While cryptocurrency is legally defined as a digital asset, for tax purposes, it’s classified as personal income, not as part of your capital gains portfolio.

This means that any profit from buying or selling crypto is treated as personal income and declared under Thailand’s progressive income tax system, rather than under a separate capital gains regime. As we mentioned earlier, if you trade through licensed Thai exchanges or brokers, those transactions are temporarily tax-exempt from 2025 to 2029, although you still have to declare them in your income statement.

When it comes to foreign portfolios, things depend on your tax residency and whether you remit funds into Thailand. If you hold or trade crypto in foreign exchanges and keep the profits abroad, you don’t pay Thai tax on those gains. However, once you bring those funds into Thailand, for example, by converting to baht or remitting them to a Thai account, that income becomes taxable.

In short, Thailand doesn’t have a separate capital gains tax for crypto. Instead, all crypto profits fall under personal income tax rules, with foreign gains only becoming taxable once they are remitted into the country.

Final Thoughts

Thailand is a wonderful destination for anyone seeking a comfortable lifestyle at a reasonable cost of living. However, when it comes to crypto, it’s far from friendly. Regulations are strict, and even when they appear to ease, they’re ultimately designed to keep control over how foreign income enters and moves through the local economy.

For tax residents, this means keeping a close eye on updates from Thai authorities and understanding exactly how new policies may affect everyday financial decisions. If you’re earning abroad, it’s often wiser to limit conversions into Thai baht to avoid unnecessary exposure or potential double taxation.

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