Thailand Blocks Bitget Access December 5 Over Unlicensed Crypto Trading

Key Points

Regulator cites violations of 2018 Emergency Decree Sections 3, 26, and 66 regarding unauthorized digital asset exchanges.
Access to Bitget website and app blocked December 5; investors urged to withdraw assets before cutoff deadline.
Separate planned acquisition of licensed GMO-Z exchange faces uncertainty amid ongoing criminal investigation.

Editorial Deep Dive & Context

Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has initiated legal action against BG Limited, the operator of cryptocurrency exchange Bitget, alleging the provision of unlicensed digital asset services to Thai residents between 2022 and 2025. The regulator identified specific violations including fee collection, a Thai-language website displaying prices in baht, and targeted promotions via social media channels such as X, Telegram, and TikTok.

These activities constitute operating an unlicensed exchange under Section 3 of Thailand’s 2018 Emergency Decree on Digital Asset Businesses, breaching licensing requirements under Section 26. Concurrently, the SEC notified the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society to enforce an access block on Bitget’s website, domains, and mobile application effective December 5, 2026.

This administrative measure is executed under the 2025 Royal Decree on Measures for Preventing and Suppressing Technology-Related Crimes, allowing immediate restriction of unlicensed platforms regardless of pending criminal proceedings. Investors holding funds on the platform have been advised to secure their assets before the cutoff date. The enforcement action also names Kritsana Kritsananuwat for alleged promotional assistance through Facebook and YouTube channels. This regulatory crackdown occurs alongside Bitget’s separate announced plan to acquire GMO-Z.com Cryptonomics (Thailand), a licensed local entity.