This move brightly contrasts with mainland China’s restrictive crypto policies.
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Hong Kong regulators are moving to legislate new licensing regimes for virtual asset (VA) dealers and custodians, cementing the city’s strategy to build a comprehensive digital asset framework. The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (FSTB) and the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) confirmed the plan after a public consultation period.

The proposed rules will bring over-the-counter (OTC) desks, brokers, and asset custodians under the same regulatory umbrella as licensed trading platforms. Dealers will face standards similar to traditional securities firms, while custodians will be subject to strict requirements for private key management and asset segregation to protect clients.

This initiative is a key part of the SFC’s broader “ASPIRe” roadmap, a five-pillar strategy for developing Hong Kong into a global virtual asset hub.

“The proposed establishment of licensing regimes for VA dealing and custodian service providers marks a significant step in enhancing our legal framework for digital assets,” stated Christopher Hui, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury.

Authorities have also launched a new one-month consultation on regulating VA advisory and asset management services, with a goal of introducing a legislative bill to the Legislative Council in 2026. The move deliberately contrasts with mainland China’s restrictive crypto policies and positions Hong Kong in direct competition with Singapore as Asia’s primary digital asset center.

What does It Mean for Institutions?

This is a direct signal to institutional capital that Hong Kong is building a complete, end-to-end regulatory structure. For trading desks and asset managers, the licensing of custodians is the critical piece. It addresses the counterparty risk that has kept significant capital on the sidelines.

The move goes beyond basic exchange regulation and creates a foundation for more complex products, such as structured derivatives and tokenized securities, by ensuring every link in the value chain meets a supervisory standard. Expect established financial institutions to accelerate their digital asset strategies in the region, using Hong Kong as a compliant gateway to the Asian market.

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