2026-01-01 18:25:20

Hong Kong is tightening its regulatory framework for digital assets. Starting January 1st, banks operating in the territory must comply with Basel crypto capital rules, with preferential treatment extended to certain stablecoins. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority and Securities and Futures Commission are moving quickly on multiple fronts—rolling out formal licensing for stablecoin issuers, expanding the virtual asset dealer regime, and enhancing custodian regulations early this year. These moves signal Hong Kong's commitment to codifying crypto exposures and creating a more structured regulatory environment that balances innovation with financial stability. The changes effectively broaden the scope of who can operate in the space and under what conditions, setting clearer guardrails for institutions entering the market.

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.

6 Likes

Reward
6
5
Repost
Share

Comment

0/400

TaxEvader

· 18h ago

Hong Kong is starting to stir again, with Basel rules coming one after another... but their intense focus on certain stablecoins shows that they are really taking this matter seriously.

View OriginalReply0

AltcoinHunter

· 18h ago

Hong Kong's move is basically paving the way for big institutions, retail investors better hold on tight --- Once the Basel rules came out, are stablecoins being favored? What are they implying, friends? --- It's just "balancing innovation and stability," just listen to it, but in the end, isn't it just raising the barriers? --- The licensing system is coming... It feels like Hong Kong is really taking crypto seriously. Whether that's good or bad, I can't say. --- Is it a break below or a bottoming out? These new regulatory rules seem more like laying a foundation for the market. --- Oh, institutions are going to be compliant, how many retail investors' chives plots will be left? --- The key word is "guardrails," implying that the number of players is decreasing.

View OriginalReply0

BlockchainDecoder

· 18h ago

According to research, this move in Hong Kong is actually replicating Singapore's 2020 approach—first adopting the Basel framework, then gradually expanding the scope of licensed entities. It is worth noting the "preferential" terms for stablecoins; from a technical perspective, this is using policy tools to guide market choices.

View OriginalReply0

RektRecovery

· 18h ago

lol "guardrails" they say... watched this same playbook unfold before. basel rules just meant institutions could finally gatekeep the space officially. predictable vulnerability: governments always legalize what they couldn't kill.

Reply0

SpeakWithHatOn