CMDF pushes TISA to propose that the government increase long-term savings and investment, unveiling 4 missions to upgrade the Thai capital market.

CMDF is pushing forward with the TISA study, hoping it will be a tool to increase long-term savings and investment among Thais. The study will be submitted to the government for consideration of its format, with clarity expected by the end of this year. The CMDF will also continue its four missions to develop the capital market: infrastructure, human resources, financial literacy, and research, supporting JUMP+ and ESG bonds.

On September 9, 2026, Mr. Chakchai Boonyawat, Manager of the Capital Market Development Fund (CMDF), revealed that CMDF aims to support the development of the Thai capital market through four main missions: developing capital market infrastructure, enhancing human resource capabilities, promoting financial literacy, and supporting research that benefits the capital market. This is to increase efficiency, competitiveness, and strengthen the Thai capital market system in the long term.

The first aspect involves developing capital market infrastructure to enhance efficiency and competitiveness. This encompasses everything from developing new financial products and instruments to upgrading existing infrastructure and improving cybersecurity and data protection.

One of the key projects supported by CMDF is the JUMP+ project, implemented by the Stock Exchange of Thailand to enhance the value and potential of listed companies, including the production of analyses and related activities, with the collaboration of partner organizations.

Originally, the JUMP+ project aimed to have approximately 100 listed companies participate, but it actually attracted interest from 142 companies. It is expected that the results of the project will gradually become clearer over the next 3-5 years and will help to increase investor confidence.

Furthermore, CMDF supports the development of cybersecurity infrastructure to enhance cybersecurity threat defenses in the capital market, including the safeguarding and protection of sensitive data related to the capital market.

Another aspect is the development of an ecosystem for startup businesses. CMDF supports this project through the Thai Startup Trade Association to create a database and a platform for connecting startup entrepreneurs in Thailand. It provides opportunities for entrepreneurs to register and network together. Currently, approximately 5,600 startups are participating in the system.

Meanwhile, CMDF supports ESG financing for listed companies by helping to cover the costs associated with issuing ESG bonds, such as advisory and auditing fees, in order to incentivize listed companies to increasingly use sustainability financial instruments.

To date, 22 listed companies have issued bonds under this program, totaling more than 1 billion baht in offering value. This is one of the measurable results of CMDF's support.

The second aspect is enhancing the capabilities of personnel in the capital market. This is not limited to employees of securities firms or financial institutions, but also includes personnel of listed companies and those involved in the capital market, who need continuous knowledge and skills development.

CMDF therefore supports upskilling and reskilling, as well as subsidizing the costs of professional certification exams related to the capital markets, such as the CFA, which are quite expensive. It provides opportunities for students and industry professionals who have passed the exams to apply for financial support under the fund's conditions.

The key concept is that increasing the number of personnel with the necessary knowledge and professional standards will strengthen the overall capital market industry and enhance its capacity to adapt to future changes in the capital market.

The third aspect is promoting financial literacy to the wider public, from students and working adults to the general public, so that they have sufficient knowledge for saving, investing, and long-term financial planning.

In the past, CMDF has worked with a network of partners from both the public and private sectors to produce financial literacy content and educational materials covering saving, investing, and preventing financial fraud. These materials are delivered through various media formats, including infographics and social media, to make financial knowledge more accessible to the public.

The fourth aspect is promoting and supporting research that is beneficial to the capital market, with the Capital Market Research Institute (CMRI) serving as a key mechanism for driving this work.

CMRI's role is not to conduct all research itself, but rather to design support systems, screen topics, and evaluate research with the potential to create an impact on capital market development, as well as align with key issues of the timeframe. The focus is on research that can be applied in practice, produce practical results, and be further developed into policy recommendations or guidelines for the development of the Thai capital market.

Over the past approximately six years, CMDF has supported a total of 63 research projects, with a total budget exceeding 400 million baht. These projects cover a wide range of topics, including ESG, capital market policy and regulation, and legal issues.

One of the key studies was on strategies to elevate Thailand's status as a financial hub. This research, conducted during the period when the government was promoting such a policy, examined Thailand's readiness and appropriate approaches before presenting the findings to relevant agencies for consideration and policy development.

Another important research project is a study of approaches to establishing tax-advantaged personal investment accounts (TISA), examining lessons learned and successes from other countries, particularly Japan's NISA system, which has successfully attracted significant public savings to the capital market and helped build long-term savings for retirement.

In Thailand, the TISA concept has been studied and adapted to the country's context, with the expectation that it will serve as another tool to increase long-term savings and investment among the public. However, the final format still requires government consideration, and clarity is expected by the end of this year.

In addition to TISA, CMDF also studied the structure of the Thai securities industry to assess what number of securities firms is appropriate for the size and structure of the Thai capital market, comparing it to the development of the Thai capital market over the past several decades, and including a study of capital market structures in other countries.

This study was not intended to directly apply foreign models to Thailand, but rather to consider their suitability within the context of the Thai capital market. The research is now complete and is being prepared for submission to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Stock Exchange of Thailand for further study and consideration.

Mr. Chakchai stated that CMDF's goal is to ensure that the results of its support in each area can be utilized and create a real impact on the development of the Thai capital market. This includes aspects of infrastructure, human resources, financial literacy, and policy research, in order to strengthen and enhance the competitiveness of the Thai capital market in the long term.

Read all news related to the Thai stock market situation here.