Hong Kong Expands Stablecoin Trading, Tokenized Assets, and Digital Bonds
Hong Kong is expanding its regulated stablecoin trading, tokenized real-world assets, and digital bond infrastructure as outlined in its 2026 Policy Address. The government plans to introduce 24-hour central bank digital currency settlement through the Hong Kong Monetary Authority's EnsembleTX platform by the end of 2026.
The measures cover stablecoin trading on licensed virtual asset platforms, tokenized money market fund settlement, and tokenized gold and other eligible assets. Regulators will also expand custody, market, and anti-money laundering surveillance.
The Securities and Futures Commission plans to strengthen virtual asset licensing rules, allowing regulated stablecoins to trade on licensed virtual asset platforms and support settlement for tokenized money market funds. Anchorpoint Financial, backed by Standard Chartered, has started rolling out its Hong Kong dollar-backed HKDAP stablecoin.