Hong Kong Says Crypto Licensing Bill Lands "Within This Year" — Regulators Mean It 🏙️

Hong Kong's government will submit an amendment bill before the end of 2026 to establish licensing regimes for digital asset trading, custody, advisory and management services, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui said at a Monday policy briefing. The bill would cover four categories of digital asset activity and respond to what Hui described as "innovative developments" in financial technology, according to a statement released by the Hong Kong government.

The pledge builds on earlier guidance from Hui, who in January said regulators planned to submit a draft proposal related to crypto asset regulation before the end of 2026. Hui reiterated that the administration intends to move ahead with the framework "within this year," according to the government's statement.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority has already begun processing license applications for stablecoin issuers. In April, the HKMA granted its first stablecoin issuer licenses to Anchorpoint Financial and the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation.

Separately, Hong Kong and Shanghai authorities have begun testing the use of blockchain for cargo trade data, a development tied to the region's broader digital infrastructure efforts.

Hui did not specify an exact submission date for the amendment bill, and the statement did not detail implementation timelines beyond the end-2026 window.