Hong Kong2026-10-13 05:56:43Hong Kong studies tax breaks for qualified gold trading and settlement institutionsHong Kong is studying tax incentives for qualified institutions engaged in gold trading and settlement in the city, according to Christopher Hui, secretary for financial services and the treasury. Speaking at the opening ceremony of Gold Smart International’s Hong Kong headquarters, Hui said the government is also refining the preferential tax regime for funds and single-family offices, with a proposal to expand the scope of eligible investments to include precious metals. He said the city is using the development of an international gold trading market as an entry point to build a broader commodities trading ecosystem. Hui added that Hong Kong’s central gold clearing and settlement system began trial operations in July this year and is targeted for formal launch in the first quarter of next year. After the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority updated its guidance in July, the number of gold ETFs eligible for MPF fund investment rose to five. Physical gold ETFs and tokenized gold products have also been introduced to the market, according to a Hong Kong government press release.00
Hong Kong2026-10-06 10:33:37Hong Kong reiterates plan to submit crypto licensing bill amendments by end-2026Hong Kong has restated that it will submit amendments to its crypto-asset licensing bill by the end of 2026, setting out a licensing regime that would cover digital asset trading, custody, advisory, and management services. Christopher Hui, the city’s Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, said the amendments are intended to respond to developments in financial technology. Hui had already said in January that regulators were aiming to put forward a crypto regulatory proposal before the end of 2026. Separately, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority has begun processing license applications from stablecoin issuers. In April, it granted the first stablecoin issuer licenses to Anchorpoint Financial and Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, according to the report cited by Odaily.100
Hong Kong2026-10-06 10:16:55Hong Kong reiterates plan to file crypto licensing amendment bill by end of 2026Hong Kong officials have reaffirmed that the government plans to submit an amendment bill before the end of 2026 to create licensing regimes for four types of digital asset services: trading, custody, advisory and management. The timetable was restated by Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui during a Monday policy briefing, according to a statement from the Hong Kong government. Hui said the bill will be introduced within this year and described the move as a response to innovative developments in financial technology. The latest comments follow Hui’s remarks in January, when he said regulators were preparing a draft proposal on crypto asset regulation for submission before the end of 2026. At that time, he also said the Hong Kong Monetary Authority had started processing license applications from stablecoin issuers. In April, the HKMA issued its first stablecoin issuer licenses to Anchorpoint Financial and the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation.130
Hong Kong2026-10-05 06:43:46Hong Kong to table bill this year for licensing virtual asset trading, custody and advisory servicesHong Kong will submit a bill this year to establish a licensing regime covering virtual asset trading, custody, advisory and management services, according to Paul Chan Mo-po? No — according to the Hong Kong government press release cited by ChainCatcher, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui attended a policy briefing session of the Legislative Council Panel on Financial Affairs and outlined the plan. Hui said the proposal forms part of policy measures tied to Hong Kong’s first five-year plan in the financial services and treasury portfolio. He also said Hong Kong’s central gold clearing and settlement system is scheduled to officially launch in the first quarter of next year. Separately, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing will release details within this year on a new gold futures contract that will be denominated in renminbi and settled by physical delivery.280
Hong Kong2026-10-05 04:48:07Hong Kong plans preferential tax regime with 5% or 8.25% rates for eligible priority-sector companiesHong Kong is preparing a preferential tax regime aimed at attracting industry and investment, according to remarks made by Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui at a Legislative Council Panel on Financial Affairs meeting. Under the 2026 Policy Address, the government plans to submit amendment legislation by the end of this year to establish the framework. The proposed regime would cover companies engaged in priority sectors including advanced manufacturing, innovation and technology research and development, headquarters activities, logistics and supply chain management, and financial services. Companies whose investment plans and substantive contribution to Hong Kong’s economy meet the required conditions may be approved for concessionary tax rates of 5% or 8.25%, described as a half-rate arrangement, for up to five years. Both newly established companies in Hong Kong and firms already operating in the city would be able to apply by submitting business plans through Invest Hong Kong and the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises. Applications would be reviewed by the Steering Committee on Promoting Attracting Companies and Investment, led by the Financial Secretary. The government said it aims to table the amendment bill in December and implement the tax regime in the 2027/28 year of assessment, according to a Hong Kong government press release cited by Techub.300
Hong Kong2026-09-29 12:59:01Hong Kong prices about HK$20 billion in digital green bonds, setting a new global recordThe Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government said it has successfully priced its fourth batch of digital green bonds, with a total value of about HK$20 billion equivalent across four currencies: Hong Kong dollars, renminbi, US dollars, and euros. The deal, according to the government, sets a new record as the world’s largest digital bond issuance. A key feature of the transaction was the use of tokenized deposits in the primary issuance settlement process for the Hong Kong dollar tranche through EnsembleTX. The government said this made the bonds the world’s first digital bonds to introduce Hong Kong dollar-denominated tokenized deposits. Financial Secretary Paul Chan said the issuance was the largest of its kind globally and was oversubscribed, which he said reflected investor demand for tokenized products issued by Hong Kong. Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui said the transaction strengthened Hong Kong’s position as a leading global center for green and sustainable finance. Settlement and custody were handled through the Central Moneymarkets Unit, while HSBC Orion served as the digital asset platform. HSBC, Bank of China (Hong Kong), JPMorgan, and Citi were among the institutions involved.300
Hong Kong2026-09-19 07:19:55Hong Kong to pilot tokenized Exchange Fund Bills before end-2026Hong Kong will pilot the tokenization of Exchange Fund Bills before the end of 2026, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui said at a press briefing on financial development measures tied to the city’s first five-year plan for economic and social development and the Chief Executive’s 2026 Policy Address. Hui said digital assets and fintech are new growth engines for Hong Kong, adding that digital bonds issued in the city account for about 50% of the global total. He also said the Central Moneymarkets Unit, or CMU, will build a digital asset platform during 2026 to provide one-stop services for digital bond issuance and settlement. On regulation and market development, Hong Kong plans to refine its virtual asset licensing regime, improve the regulatory framework for tokenized investment products, support trading of regulated stablecoins on licensed platforms, and encourage broader use cases for compliant stablecoins.860
Pakistan2026-08-27 11:35:17Pakistan and Hong Kong discuss deeper cooperation in digital assets and tokenized capital marketsPakistan’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority said Pakistan and Hong Kong are exploring closer cooperation across financial services, digital assets, and tokenized capital markets. The statement came after Bilal Bin Saqib, minister of state and chairman of PVARA, met with Christopher Hui, Hong Kong’s secretary for financial services and the treasury. Their talks covered digital bond issuance, regulatory innovation, and the role tokenization could play in making capital formation and financial market operations more efficient. PVARA added that Hong Kong’s experience could offer a reference point for Pakistan as it works to build what it described as a next-generation financial system. The update was published by PVARA in a social media post.1010
