Licensing

Hong Kong

2026-10-10 12:06:17

Hong Kong warns unlicensed payment platforms of enforcement action

Hong Kong’s monetary authority has warned that payment platforms operating without the required licenses could face enforcement action. The regulator said it received 16 complaints tied to suspected unlicensed stored-value payment services between January 2024 and September 2026. The update was carried by Techub News, citing Crypto.news. The notice centers on licensing compliance for payment operators in Hong Kong and signals that cases involving suspected unauthorized stored-value services have already drawn formal complaints during the period disclosed by the authority.

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Hong Kong

2026-10-07 09:59:57

Hong Kong to table bill this year for virtual asset trading and custody licensing

Hong Kong will submit a bill within this year to amend its laws and introduce a licensing regime covering virtual asset trading, custody, advisory and management services, according to Acting Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui. Speaking at a Legislative Council meeting, Hui also said the Securities and Futures Commission will refine its regulatory framework for tokenized investment products to support the tokenization of real-world assets, or RWA. Separately, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority are studying legal framework changes aimed at helping the technology and telecommunications sectors step up detection and removal of fraudulent content, including material involving abuse of AI-generated content. Hui also said Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing will launch a new gold futures contract denominated in renminbi and settled by physical delivery, while Hong Kong’s central gold clearing and settlement system is set to begin formal operation in the first quarter of next year. The government has also set up a Joint Working Group on Commodities Trading led by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury to review market opportunities.

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Hong Kong

2026-10-06 12:49:51

Hong Kong confirms crypto licensing bill, bringing four digital asset businesses under a single regime

Hong Kong has reaffirmed its plan to expand crypto licensing beyond trading platforms, with Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui saying the government will submit an amendment bill within the year and work toward a framework in place by the end of 2026. The proposed regime would cover four business lines: digital asset trading, custody, advisory and asset management. That would move the city from a model focused mainly on virtual asset trading platforms to a broader licensing structure overseen by the Securities and Futures Commission. Hong Kong already launched a licensing system for virtual asset trading platforms in June 2023, and the next phase is set to pull more parts of the digital asset industry into formal regulation. The report also links the shift to the city’s stablecoin rollout and its wider push to create a clearer legal route for institutions entering crypto-related businesses.

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Hong Kong

2026-10-06 10:16:55

Hong Kong reiterates plan to file crypto licensing amendment bill by end of 2026

Hong 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.

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Hong Kong

2026-10-05 06:43:46

Hong Kong to table bill this year for licensing virtual asset trading, custody and advisory services

Hong 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.

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Hong Kong

2026-10-05 06:46:38

Hong Kong to submit bill this year for licensing of virtual asset trading and custody services

Hong Kong will submit a bill within this year to introduce a licensing regime covering virtual asset trading, custody, advisory and management services, according to Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui. Speaking on Oct. 5, Hui said the move comes as the city responds to developments in financial technology innovation. He also said the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau is working with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority to review and improve the legal framework. That work is aimed at pushing the technology and telecommunications sectors to strengthen the detection and removal of fraudulent content, including material generated through the abusive use of AI. The remarks outline two tracks now under study in Hong Kong: a formal licensing framework for a broader set of virtual asset services, and legal changes tied to online fraud enforcement.

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NYDFS

2026-10-01 16:20:42

NYDFS and Wyoming banking regulator sign MOU to coordinate crypto oversight

The New York State Department of Financial Services and the Wyoming Division of Banking have signed a memorandum of understanding to coordinate supervision of crypto companies operating across both states. The arrangement covers licensing reviews, examinations, and possible enforcement matters. It applies both to firms already regulated in either jurisdiction and to companies seeking approval in New York and Wyoming at the same time. Under the agreement, the two regulators will share analytical findings and past examination data to streamline application reviews, align examination schedules, and support joint examinations of cross-state businesses. The MOU also creates an expedited path for firms that have been regulated in one of the two states for at least three years under an existing license or charter and have not been subject to enforcement action, with the second regulator aiming to reach a decision within six months. The deal also sets up information-sharing on supervisory reports, market trend data, investigation updates, and notices tied to possible enforcement action, while allowing the agencies to pursue joint, coordinated, or separate enforcement steps.

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UK

2026-09-30 15:48:09

UK FCA Opens Crypto Authorization Applications, Sets Feb. 28, 2027 Deadline for Existing Firms

The UK Financial Conduct Authority has opened authorization applications for crypto firms, starting the process of bringing the sector under a full FCA regime. Existing firms that want to keep operating in the UK need to apply by Feb. 28, 2027, with the new framework set to take effect on Oct. 25, 2027. The regulator said firms that file on time can continue offering crypto services and take on new business while their applications are being reviewed, provided no decision has been reached by the start date. The FCA said authorization will not be automatic and that applicants will be assessed on consumer protection, safeguarding customer assets, market integrity, and financial resilience. The move follows the publication of the FCA’s final crypto rules in June and further guidance issued on Sept. 16, which clarified the activities that will require approval, including issuing qualifying stablecoins, operating trading platforms, safeguarding crypto, and arranging staking. A day earlier, HM Treasury also published draft amendments covering payment use cases for UK-issued qualifying stablecoins and some firms that only provide interfaces to decentralized protocols.

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