Thailand is moving to bring fast-growing buy now, pay later (BNPL) lending under dedicated central bank oversight.
According to The Nation, the Bank of Thailand aims to introduce the licensing framework in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Businesses covered by the rules will need regulatory approval to continue providing BNPL services.
Existing operators will receive time to prepare their applications.
The central bank plans to open the proposed regulations for public consultation by the end of September.
It will consider the feedback before finalising the framework.
The Financial Institutions Policy Committee has approved the broad regulatory approach.
An initial assessment identified around six major BNPL providers in Thailand.
The proposed rules will focus on companies financing purchases through online platforms, although the final framework will determine which parties require approval.
The proposal forms part of efforts to strengthen supervision of Thailand’s non-bank financial sector, which includes more than 3,600 operators across 24 business categories.
Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by user850788 via Magnific
