Thai SEC Proposes Up to 80% Fee Cuts for Crowdfunding Platforms

The Thai Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is consulting on a proposal to significantly reduce fees for specific crowdfunding platforms. Under the plan, funding portals that exclusively manage securities registrar services for their own crowdfunding offerings could see their license fee cut from 100,000 baht to 50,000 baht, and their annual fee reduced from 50,000 baht to 10,000 baht. The application fee would remain at 30,000 baht.

The regulator states its intent is to lower operating costs for these platforms and bolster crowdfunding as a viable fundraising avenue for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), while concurrently safeguarding investors' rights. The direct reduction in both initial and recurring fees could indeed ease the financial burden on specialized crowdfunding operators, potentially fostering more activity in this sector.

However, the proposed changes come with specific conditions. To qualify for the reduced fees, funding portals must adhere to the SEC’s established qualification and operational standards. Furthermore, their securities registrar licenses would automatically terminate if their approval as a funding portal ceases. Platforms expanding beyond their initial approved scope would also forfeit the reduced annual fee, suggesting a regulatory focus on specialized and compliant operations. The public consultation for these proposed changes is open until 8 December 2026.