Crypto Exchange Bitkub, 4 Others Sued by Thai SEC Over Fake Volume Claims

Thailand's Securities and Exchange Commission has sued five entities for creating artificial volume on crypto exchanges Bitkub and Satang Corp.

According to an official release, the regulator issued civil sanctions against two males and the Bangkok-based Bitkub as well. The three offenders in this case have been ordered to pay 24.2 million Thai baht ($636,000) to reimburse the SEC for its investigation expenses.

In August, the Thai SEC issued a $235,000 fine to Bitkub's chief technology officer following an insider-trading investigation.

In the second case relating to Satang Corp., which is also based in Bangkok, the regulator has issued civil sanctions to LLC Fair Expo and one male, with 12.1 million Thai baht ($318,000) being requested as payment.

Creating fake volume, also known as wash trading, is an illegal practice that is used to lure traders into investing under the guise that a certain asset is more popular than it actually is.

The Thai SEC has adopted a more aggressive approach to crypto this year. Earlier this month, it banned staking and lending services in Thailand after filing a police complaint against troubled crypto exchange Zipmex.