How to buy bitcoin in Thailand
- Status
- Legal
- Currency
- Thai baht (THB)
- Recommended
- 4 exchanges
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-12
Thailand rewards buying through licensed channels, and our rankings reflect it: Binance serves Thais through Binance TH, a locally licensed joint venture, while Kraken and Coinmama remain offshore options without Thai authorization, worth weighing carefully because regulators have moved to block unlicensed foreign platforms. The incentive to stay onshore is unusually concrete: profits from sales made through SEC-licensed exchanges, brokers, and dealers are exempt from personal income tax from the start of 2025 through the end of 2029, a five-year window announced in September 2025. Licensed platforms take Thai bank transfers and PromptPay in baht. One hard rule remains: using crypto to pay for goods and services has been barred since 2022.
Best exchanges in Thailand
Ranked by our editorial review of fees, security record, and local payment support. Rankings are never sold.
| # | Exchange | Rating | Fees | ID check | Pay with | Visit or read the review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Binance | 4.2 | From 0.1% spot, maker and taker | Required | Visit | |
| 2 | Kraken | 4.7 | From 0.25% maker, 0.40% taker | Required | Visit | |
| 3 | Coinmama | 3.9 | Commission plus card surcharge | Required | Visit | |
| 4 | CEX.IO | 4.0 | Maker-taker; card costs more | Required | Visit |
Some Visit buttons above are referral links: signing up through them is credited to us and may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Which platforms pay makes no difference to the ranking.
Why these picks
1. Binance The largest crypto exchange by volume: the deepest bitcoin liquidity anywhere, the lowest headline spot fee of any major platform, and quarterly proof of reserves, under a settled US case and an independent monitor.
2. Kraken A 2011-vintage exchange with one of the cleanest security records in the business, heading toward a US stock listing.
3. Coinmama A card-first broker that sends bitcoin straight to your own wallet instead of holding it for you.
4. CEX.IO A card-friendly exchange licensed across most of the US, but currently closed to deposits and trading in Europe.
Payment methods in Thailand
The rails local buyers actually use, under their local names. Support varies by exchange; the list above shows exactly which methods each one takes here.
- Thai bank transfer (THB)Primary
Crypto cards available in Thailand
These spend money at ordinary shops and pay you back in crypto, which is the opposite of the exchanges above: those buy bitcoin, these do not. Availability is the issuer's own published coverage.
- Bitget Wallet Card2% base assetback on every cardholder, rising to 3% once monthly spend clears a $200-$400 threshold depending on region and card type; paid in a choice of BTC, gold, US stocks, and other assets.
- ether.fi Cash3% cashback on the first $2,000 (Core), $10,000 (Luxe), or $50,000 (Pinnacle) of monthly spend, stepping down to 1% then 0.5% beyond that band; invitation-only VIP pays 4% on its first $50,000.
- RedotPay CardRoughly 3% cashback on Apple Pay/Google Pay transactions is available to RedotPay Pro subscribers ($12.90/month or $129/year); the base card has no broad percentage-back cashback program.
Bitcoin wallets available in Thailand
A wallet is where bitcoin lives after you buy it, which is the opposite of the exchanges above: those sell it, these hold it. Availability below is the maker's own published shipping or eligibility policy.
Hardware devices
- Keystone 3 Pro$149Air-gapped signing on a 4 inch touchscreen, with three security chips and a fingerprint reader, at $149.
- Ledger Flex$249The Ledger to buy if you want a touchscreen: $249, the same certified chip as the Stax, and more screen pixels than it.
- Ledger Nano S Plus$59Ledger's $59 entry device: the same certified secure element as the $399 Stax, no Bluetooth, and no iPhone support at all.
- Ledger Nano X$79The cheapest Ledger with Bluetooth, now $79 on Ledger's own store, and the one to buy if you want to sign from a phone.
- Ledger Stax$399Ledger's $399 flagship, with the biggest screen it sells and exactly the same secure element as the $59 Nano S Plus.
- Tangem Wallet$59.9A smart card you tap against your phone, sold only in sets of two or three so your backup is another card rather than a written seed.
Desktop and browser
Compare every wallet, including the ones we tell you not to buy
Watch: how to choose an exchange
This is our general video rather than a walkthrough for Thailand. It shows the method in two steps: first the country you are buying in, then the exchange. You have done step one by being here, so start from the exchanges ranked above.
We have not filmed a walkthrough for Thailand yet, so this is our general one, from our YouTube channel @dontgetrekt. It also sits on the home page, next to the country search it starts from.
Do you need a VPN?
A VPN hides which sites you visit from the network you are on and from your internet provider, which is worth having when you move money over a connection you do not control. It does not get you past an exchange's identity checks: every platform we list verifies who you are no matter where you connect from.
If you want one, the strongest records on our list belong to NordVPN (6 independent no-logs audits, the most of any service we review), Windscribe (its no-logs claim tested in the real world 3 times) and Proton VPN (the most audited service with a free tier).
Buying bitcoin in Thailand, start to finish
Pick a platform and verify your identity
Choose from the table above and complete KYC verification with a photo ID. Regulated platforms in Thailand require this before you can deposit.
Fund your account with thai bank transfer (THB)
Common options here: thai bank transfer (THB), PromptPay, credit or debit card (on international platforms), P2P trades in baht. Bank transfers are usually the cheapest; cards are faster but add fees.
Buy, then decide where to keep it
Place your order, and for anything more than pocket money consider moving it to a hardware wallet you control. Our security guide covers the habits that keep coins safe.
Legal status and regulation in Thailand
Bitcoin is legal in Thailand under the Emergency Decree on Digital Asset Businesses of 2018, with the Thai SEC licensing exchanges, brokers, and dealers. The government sweetened the licensed route with a personal income tax exemption on crypto capital gains realized through SEC-licensed operators, covering the start of 2025 through the end of 2029, while regulators have moved to block unlicensed foreign platforms. Using digital assets as a means of payment has been prohibited since 2022.
Frequently asked questions
Is bitcoin legal in Thailand?
Yes. Trading and holding are legal under the Emergency Decree on Digital Asset Businesses of 2018, with the Thai SEC licensing exchanges, brokers, and dealers. Using crypto to pay for goods and services has been prohibited since 2022, so it is an investment asset, not a payment method.
How does Thailand's crypto tax exemption work?
Capital gains from selling digital assets through SEC-licensed exchanges, brokers, and dealers are exempt from personal income tax for sales from the start of 2025 through the end of 2029. Gains on unlicensed offshore platforms, plus mining and staking income, are not covered.
Is Binance licensed in Thailand?
Binance operates in Thailand through Binance TH, a joint venture holding Thai digital asset licenses, with local baht deposits and onboarding separate from the global Binance site. Using the licensed Thai entity is what qualifies trades for the tax exemption.
Can I spend bitcoin in Thai shops?
No. Thai regulators barred the use of digital assets as a means of payment in 2022, and businesses may not advertise crypto payment acceptance. Buying, holding, and trading through licensed channels remain legal.
Companies in Thailand that hold bitcoin
Publicly listed companies headquartered here with bitcoin on the balance sheet. Holdings come from company disclosures and are dated on each page.
