Thailand Cracks Down on Grey Money with Stricter Crypto and Gold Oversight

Thailand's government has launched a sweeping initiative to combat 'grey money' flows, targeting loopholes in gold trading and digital asset transactions. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul chaired a high-level meeting directing regulators to tighten AML protocols, particularly for gold purchases without physical delivery and cross-platform digital asset movements.

The plan centers on a new Data Bureau system linking financial datasets via Open API, enabling real-time tracking of suspicious activity across gold, crypto, e-wallets, and foreign exchange. Authorities will slash the reporting threshold for gold bar purchases from 2 million baht to curb smurfing tactics.

This crackdown reflects growing global scrutiny of crypto-facilitated financial crime, with Thailand emerging as a regional test case for integrated anti-money laundering frameworks. The MOVE could impact liquidity in over-the-counter gold markets and force compliance upgrades among digital asset service providers.