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Stablecoins

Stablecoins
Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies that maintain a stable value by being pegged to a reference asset, typically backed by fiat currency such as the US dollar, offering a less volatile alternative to other digital assets.
Hong Kong’s SFC unveiled new initiatives on Wednesday aimed at further developing the city’s virtual asset sector. Photo: Shutterstock Images
Banking & finance

Hong Kong bridges traditional, digital finance with new virtual asset initiatives

The first initiative will allow licensed virtual asset brokers to offer margin financing to clients with strong credit profiles.

Cryptocurrency

Consensus 2026 kicks off in Hong Kong amid tighter Beijing oversight

Yuan

China keen to realise ambitions for digital currency amid slow uptake

Cryptocurrency

Scams and outflows: why China slammed the door on real-world asset tokens

Beijing’s clampdown aims to help safeguard financial security and monetary sovereignty while leaving room for regulated fintech innovation in Hong Kong.

Stablecoins represent the most widely adopted use case for real-world assets on blockchains. Photo: Shutterstock
Cryptocurrency

China tightens crypto crackdown with onshore RWA tokenisation ban

Domestic entities, as well as offshore entities under their control, cannot issue virtual currencies overseas without approval.

China stock market

Stocks fall, Xi-Trump-Putin calls, Japan election

This week: Chinese and Hong Kong stocks tumble in global sell-off, Xi speaks with Trump and Putin, CK Hutchison pursues arbitration after losing Panama ports case. Next week: Japan voters head to the polls on Sunday, world leaders attend the Munich Security Conference, January inflation figures come out and more.

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US-China trade war

US Treasury chief warns of China’s push for digital asset dominance

Scott Bessent tells senators the US must pass the Clarity Act to counter Hong Kong’s ‘sandbox’ and maintain global financial leadership.

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US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during a Senate Banking Committee hearing on Thursday. Photo: Reuters
Bitcoin

Hong Kong crypto investors stay cautious but upbeat as bitcoin sell-off deepens

Bitcoin’s steep pullback has rattled global crypto markets, but in Hong Kong clearer rules on stablecoins are underpinning confidence.

Fintech

Digital finance in 2026: what to expect as pilots move into real-world adoption

While digital money experiments promise greater efficiency, they also risk deeper fragmentation and regulatory pitfalls, experts warn.

Banking & finance

How China is upgrading its digital yuan for the stablecoin era

Beijing is upgrading its digital currency in response to the rise of stablecoins, but the goal is to create a fundamentally different system.

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A booth promotes the digital yuan at an expo in Beijing. China is upgrading its digital currency as it aims to create an alternative to stablecoins and cryptocurrencies. Photo: AP
Banking & finance

Opinion | To harness crypto ingenuity, financial threat must first be neutralised

Future of money must be shaped by competition between private ingenuity and public purpose, not by rent seeking and speculative bubbles.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong to broaden crypto rules with new licences for dealers and custodians

New frameworks mooted for virtual asset dealing and custodian services, as Hong Kong forges ahead with plans to become a digital-asset hub.

Yuan

China expands digital-yuan push to Singapore and Asean trade routes

PBOC pledges to integrate e-CNY into the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, boost adoption in Southeast Asia via China’s CIPS payment network.

Yuan

What China’s global yuan push looks like – and what could hold it back

Currency sees wider use in trade, but high domestic savings and partial capital controls still act as constraints, analysis shows.

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The yuan has seen a notable rise as a settlement currency in China’s international trade flows. Photo: Shutterstock
Blockchain

Coins in sand: how the UAE draws in the global crypto community

At Abu Dhabi Finance Week, insiders give credit to the UAE’s regulatory infrastructure and institutional adoption of digital assets.

Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, started regulating cryptocurrencies in 2018. Photo: Shutterstock
United States

‘Crypto king’ Do Kwon gets 15 years in prison for misleading investors

The South Korean founder of Terraform Labs had previously pleaded guilty to fraud charges stemming from a US$40 billion stablecoin crash.

IPO

HashKey aims for US$214 million in Hong Kong IPO amid Beijing’s crypto pressure

Retail investors oversubscribe crypto exchange operator’s offering despite China central bank’s tough stance on virtual assets.

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Blockchain

Chinese industry bodies issue RWA tokenisation warning amid Beijing’s crackdown

This was the mainland associations’ first warning to members as Chinese authorities have explicitly targeted RWA tokenisation.

RWA tokenisation is touted as a way to allow faster and cheaper financial transactions. Photo: Shutterstock
Open Questions series

Open Questions | Huang Yiping on AI and stablecoins’ risks and rewards for China

Influential economist says growth in artificial intelligence must protect livelihoods and Chinese central bank’s cryptocurrency caution is warranted.

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Cryptocurrency

HashKey’s IPO seeks US$300 million under shadow of Beijing’s regulatory scrutiny

HashKey is likely to debut on the Hong Kong stock exchange within the next two to three months ‘if it receives adequate investor interest’.

China digital currency

Beijing’s crypto warning casts shadow over Hong Kong’s stablecoin ambitions

Hong Kong’s pioneering stablecoin rules have attracted 30 applicants – will Beijing’s latest warning force the city to rethink its ambitions?

The People’s Bank of China has said stablecoins do not meet the mainland’s requirements on customer identification and anti-money laundering. Photo: Shutterstock
IPO

Hong Kong crypto exchange HashKey wins listing nod in test of investor appetite

HashKey could raise around US$300 million this month amid Hong Kong’s push to develop its digital asset sector.

HashKey is one of 11 licensed virtual asset trading platforms in Hong Kong. Photo: Handout
Fintech

Does tokenisation in China risk a repeat of the P2P lending crisis?

Tokenisation provides value, but the interest of multilevel marketers raises ‘genuine concerns’, forum speaker says.

Banking & finance

China’s PBOC underlines tough stance on virtual currencies like stablecoins

Speculative activities in virtual currencies have resurfaced, PBOC statement warns after multi-department regulatory meeting.

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Fintech

Hong Kong reaps the fruits of fintech seeds sown nearly 10 years ago

Hong Kong’s rise as a fintech hub is due to the concerted regulatory push, with the city competing with Singapore for regional leadership.

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Illustration by Henry Wong
China trade

Explainer | How some Chinese exporters benefit from US dollar-backed stablecoins

From navigating trade restrictions to overcoming regulatory barriers, more traders are embracing the digital asset – but not without risks.

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Stablecoins are helping traders overcome regulatory hurdles, mitigate exchange rate risks and speed up transactions. Photo: Shutterstock
Japan

Opinion | As Japan takes aim at crypto, first mover Hong Kong must look out

The Takaichi government’s pro-digital assets policies place Tokyo as a direct and serious competitor to Hong Kong.

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Law

Legal Tales | How Hong Kong’s law protects those drawn to crypto and virtual asset investments

City has introduced groundbreaking, tailor-made laws designed to protect the public when investing in new class of financial products.

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