Cryptocurrency ban could erode China’s competitiveness, say executives at Hong Kong forum
Regulators should instead formulate policies that are welcoming, and promote blockchain use
China’s regulators should maintain a more welcoming position towards cryptocurrencies, as an outright ban on their use and trade could undermine the country’s economic competitiveness, senior executives said during a panel discussion at the Asian Financial Forum in Hong Kong on Tuesday.
Executives from CreditEase, Microsoft China and Credit China FinTech Holdings also said the government and private sector should embrace the application of blockchain, the technology behind cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and Ethereum.
“There are currently more than 1,400 digital currencies globally … I think regulators should not ban them but, instead, allow market forces to lead price discovery for virtual currencies,” said Phang Yew Kiat, the chief executive of Credit China FinTech Holdings, a Hong Kong-listed company focusing on financial services for consumers and small to medium enterprises in China.
Credit China FinTech signed a US$30 million deal with BitFury, a bitcoin and private blockchain infrastructure provider, in January 2017 to – among other things – establish a joint venture focusing on the Chinese market, whose details have not been disclosed. Phang said Credit China FinTech has been using blockchain technology since 2016.
Chinese regulators have been clamping down on the mining, trading and use of cryptocurrencies in fundraising activities, such as those through an “initial coin offering”, which are popular among start-ups.
But the authorities’ stance on blockchain has been more receptive. For example, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has been promoting the development of blockchain by establishing open labs with the industry to promote blockchain applications in various industries.
