Chinese firms may face limits on stablecoin activity in Hong Kong: Report

Chinese regulators are reportedly preparing to restrict mainland state-owned enterprises and banks from pursuing stablecoin and crypto initiatives in Hong Kong.

Chinese internet giants, state-owned enterprises and financial institutions operating in Hong Kong may face restrictions on stablecoin and crypto activities.

According to a Thursday report by local news outlet Caixin, mainland Chinese firms operating in Hong Kong may be forced to withdraw from cryptocurrency-related activities. The Hong Kong branches of several state-owned enterprises and Chinese banks are also expected not to participate in the race to obtain a Hong Kong stablecoin license.

The news follows reports that HSBC and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the world’s largest bank by total assets, plan to apply for stablecoin licenses in Hong Kong. Hong Kong’s new stablecoin regulatory framework came into effect on Aug. 1 with a six-month transition period. Regulators said 77 institutions had expressed interest in applying.

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