Originally Posted by Babywhale, Foresight News

Originally Posted by Babywhale, Foresight News

On June 1, Hong Kong’s relevant policies on cryptocurrencies were officially implemented, opening the door for encrypted asset trading and issuance. Although it is more difficult for the regulatory authorities in Hong Kong and around the world to achieve effective supervision without hindering the development of encrypted assets on the premise of supporting the development of encrypted assets, it is always worthwhile to make a bold attempt.

As a financial center in Asia, the orderly development of the Web3 industry under supervision will help attract capital, technology and talents, and help Asian Web3 institutions and projects go global. Since the beginning of this year, many institutions have begun to step up their deployment in the Hong Kong market. Foresight News has sorted out these "first batch of crab eaters" for you.

HashKey Group

Web3 Comprehensive Organization

HaskKey, as an organization that has always been at the forefront of the Web3 industry, began its compliance journey in Hong Kong in 2022.In April 2022, HashKey Group announced that it has obtained the Type 1 (Securities Trading) and Type 7 (Automated Trading Services, ATS) licenses submitted by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission for its Hash Blockchain Limited (HBL) license to operate a virtual asset trading platform. ofApproval in principle

(AIP), after meeting all conditions and obtaining final approval, HashKey will provide encrypted trading services to Hong Kong professional investors (including licensed financial institutions). The platform operated by HBL will provide virtual asset trading services, including encrypted assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, stable coins and security tokens.In September of the same year, HashKey Capital, the venture capital arm of HashKey, was regulated by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC)approve

, complete the change of Type 9 asset management license, and can transfer 100% of its investment portfolio to virtual asset projects related to cryptocurrencies.In November, Hash Blockchain Limited (HBL), a subsidiary of HashKey Group, was granted a license by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC),approve

In February of this year, HashKeyAnnounceAnnounce

In April of this year, HashKey Group issued a documentsaysay

This month, HashKey PRO, a compliant virtual asset trading platform regulated by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC),AnnounceAnnounce

Cobo

In April this year, Cobo co-founder and CEO Shenyuexpressexpress

Amber Group

In April of this year, Amber Group said it was considering selling its Japanese subsidiary and planned to apply for a Hong Kong license after Hong Kong turned to create a digital asset center. In addition, Amber Group announced during this year's "Web3 Hong Kong Carnival" that it has partnered with the technology consulting company Thoughtworksreached a cooperation, will jointly develop technical tools and solutions, and use artificial intelligence to promote the safe and transparent development of Web3.

exchange

BitgetX

exchangeIn May, virtual asset exchange BitgetXonline

OKX

In February this year, Xu MingxingexpressOKX has started applying for a Hong Kong encryption license from 2022. Afterwards, Lennix, Managing Director of OKX Global Institutional Business, tweetedexpressexpress

March, OKXAnnounceAnnounce

Huobi Global

In February of this year, Huobi global consultant Justin Sun was interviewed by Bloombergexpress, digital asset exchange Huobi plans to expand its offices and operations in Hong Kong. After that, Justin Sun tweeted againexpressexpress

April, Justin Sunexpressexpress

May, HuobiAnnounceAnnounceThe Huobi Hong Kong station Huobi HK will be officially launched and is ready to provide users with a variety of cryptocurrency trading services. From June 1, users can buy, sell and hold mainstream cryptocurrencies including BTC, ETH and other major cryptocurrencies listed in independent indexes through Huobi HK. After that, HuobiTweet

Justin Sun on CoinDesk TV this monthexpressexpress

Gate.io

, Huobi may obtain a cryptocurrency trading license in Hong Kong as soon as the end of this year. He said Huobi submitted its application to become a virtual asset service provider (VASP) last week, which included an 18-month grace period for regulators to approve or reject the application. Justin Sun said his forecast could be for a license within the next six to 12 months.In August 2022, Hippo Financial Services under Gate.io has beenget

Obtained the Hong Kong virtual asset custody license and was allowed to provide virtual asset custody services in Hong Kong.In February of this year, Gate.io, Gate has obtained a Hong Kong Trust and Company Service Provider (TCSP) license to provide custody solutions covering a range of digital assets in Hong Kong. In the same month, Gate Group, the parent company of Gate.ioAnnounceAnnounce

Bybit

In April this year, cryptocurrency exchange Bybitplanplan

Pionex

It has applied for a license in Hong Kong under proposed rules that came into effect in June, established a core Asian business and based some of its research and development and marketing teams in Hong Kong.In March this year, Pionexset up

BitMEX

The Hong Kong subsidiary will apply for a virtual asset service provider license under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing (Amendment) Regulations 2022. Meanwhile, Pionex has applied for a Type 1 license under Hong Kong's Securities and Futures Ordinance. After obtaining the license, Pionex will provide compliant and secure trading services in the Hong Kong market.In May this year, the cryptocurrency exchange BitMEX will launch BitMEX Hong Kong for Hong Kong users as an application for Hong Kong Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP).transition service

BitMart

In May of this year, cryptocurrency exchange BitMartAnnounceAnnounce

Its trading platform "BitMart Hong Kong" in Hong Kong was officially launched to continue to provide services to institutional and retail investors in Hong Kong. Currently, BitMart Hong Kong supports spot trading of virtual assets such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and LTC.

In March of this year, Independent Reserveplanplan

Expand business in Hong Kong. Independent Reserve co-founder and chief executive Adrian Przelozny said his team will visit Hong Kong by the end of March to meet with banks, regulators, lawyers and compliance experts to determine its suitability to expand into the city.

STEPN

The Move to Earn application STEPN, which will be popular in early 2022, was launched in September last yearAnnounceAnnounce

Alchemy Pay

In March of this year, Alchemy PayAnnounceAnnounce

DFINITY

It has cooperated with ZD Group, the parent company of investment fund Mouette Securities. ZD Group will provide investment to Alchemy Pay and share its holdings. The four financial licenses issued by the Hong Kong Securities Regulatory Commission and the Insurance Regulatory Authority, and Alchemy Pay will be owned by ZD Group The business provides cryptocurrency payment solutions.In April this year, DFINITY founder and chief scientist DominicTweet

Conflux

In February this year, ConfluxAnnounceAnnounce

The blockchain-enabled SIM card BSIM will be launched in cooperation with China Telecom, which will launch the first BSIM pilot project in Hong Kong later this year. The BSIM card integrates Conflux's Tree-graph, dual PoS and PoW technologies to provide high system performance support for any blockchain. The BSIM card manages and stores the user's public key and private key in the card, and can also perform encrypted storage, key retrieval and other operations.

Hardware wallet OneKeyIn May of this year, the hardware wallet OneKeywon

HKD 500,000 was funded by Hong Kong Cyberport, and the office space provided by Cyberport was obtained. OneKey stated that it is stepping up communication with the local government in Hong Kong and focusing on applying for relevant encryption licenses in Hong Kong.

digital asset company

Crypto Bank SebaIn November last year, Switzerland-based cryptocurrency bank Seba launched a Hong Kong-basedopen

opened new offices to fuel its growth in the Asia-Pacific region. Seba Hong Kong plans to initially focus on market research and consultancy services. Seba's offices in Switzerland offer a suite of regulated banking and investment services including trading, structured products, bank accounts, cards, credit, staking and custody of cryptocurrencies and NFTs.

In March of this year, Kaikoexpressexpress

Considering that Hong Kong is pushing to become a digital asset industry hub, it plans to relocate its Asian headquarters from Singapore to Hong Kong. Kaiko provides encrypted data for institutions such as Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) and Deutsche Börse.

In May this year, wallet infrastructure and digital asset custody service provider LiminalAnnounceAnnounce

Obtained a Hong Kong TCSP (Trust or Company Service Provider) license, enabling the company to provide regulated digital asset custody services in Hong Kong.

Digital Asset Broker LTPIn May of this year, digital asset prime broker LTP and OKX Hong Kong officiallydocking

, providing comprehensive services for institutional users in Hong Kong, and is committed to serving more compliance entities and institutional investors.

This month, First Digital, a digital asset trust in Hong Kong,AnnounceAnnounce

USD stablecoin First Digital USD (FDUSD) will be launched, which is pegged to the US dollar and is a programmable stablecoin designed to be backed by reserves of assets of equivalent fair value, and the reserves will be held in segregated accounts of Asian institutions middle.

Digital asset platform OSLThis month, the Hong Kong digital asset platform OSL has applied to the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) to upgrade its existing license toget

Digital asset retail transaction license.

Non-Web3 financial institutions and companies

In February this year, DBS Bank (Hong Kong) CEO Sebastian Paredesexpressexpress

, DBS Bank of Singapore plans to apply for a Hong Kong digital asset license to provide cryptocurrency-related services to Hong Kong users.

In February this year, Interactive Brokers in Hong Kongroll outroll out

Cryptocurrency trading, enabling professional investor clients of Interactive Brokers Hong Kong (individuals with investable assets exceeding HK$8 million or Hong Kong resident institutions with assets exceeding HK$40 million) to trade Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Investment Brokerage Signum DigitalIn March this year, Signum Digital was approved by the Hong Kong Securities Regulatory Commission (SFC)Approval in principle

, providing a security token (STO) offering and subscription platform for professional investors. The issued tokens are traded on the blockchain and linked to various asset classes, such as private equity, real estate, art and collectibles.

In April this year, Tiger Securities (Hong Kong), a subsidiary of Tiger International,AnnounceAnnounce

Launched cash management services, the company also disclosed that it intends to apply for a virtual asset trading platform license in Hong Kong, and is currently negotiating with relevant companies on related matters, or plans to do related promotions in June this year.

In May of this year, a senior executive of Greenland Holdingsexpressexpress

, a subsidiary of Greenland Holdings is planning to apply for a license to trade virtual assets in Hong Kong. Greenland Fintech will set up a new company to focus on virtual asset transactions, and the new department will submit an application to the China Securities Regulatory Commission. If approved, the new company plans to trade cryptocurrencies, NFTs and products related to carbon emissions.

In May this year, Hong Kong Zhongan Bank (ZA Bank)AnnounceAnnounce

It plans to launch virtual asset trading services to retail investors. By cooperating with local licensed virtual asset exchanges, ZA Bank will seek regulatory approval to enable retail investors to use legal tender to buy and sell virtual assets through the ZA Bank App.

Zhu Chengyu, chairman of asset management company VSFGexpressexpress