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Cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrency
News and analysis about non-fiat, decentralised assets used as digital currencies, including bitcoin, ether, altcoins and stablecoins.
Huobi began operations in mainland China in 2013 but pulled out of the country amid Beijing’s cryptocurrency crackdown in 2021. Photo: Handout
Hong Kong courts

Ex-manager of crypto firm Huobi acquitted of moving millions into account

Chen Boliang accessed crypto platform now known as HTX to trade in dark pool under individual account, which is prohibited under regulations.

Investing

Chinese economist Fu Peng hails crypto’s historic rise as he joins Bitfire

Banking & finance

Open Questions | Euro, yuan unlikely to match US dollar, Daniel Gros says

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United States

Billionaire Justin Sun sues Trump family crypto venture

The entrepreneur says his WLFI assets were frozen by World Liberty Financial, and he has been unable to resell the electronic currency.

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TRON founder Justin Sun speaks at an event in Seoul, South Korea, in September 2025. Photo: Reuters
Hong Kong economy

Opinion | Hong Kong’s stablecoin roll-out puts banks at the centre of digital money

Hong Kong is building a bank-led digital money system, not a cryptocurrency free-for-all.

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North Korea

North Korea’s Lazarus suspected of stealing US$290 million from KelpDAO

Ethereum was ‘drained’ from KelpDAO in the biggest known cryptocurrency heist so far this year.

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Stablecoins

Hong Kong lawmaker swipes at US lack of ‘clarity’ as city eyes crypto lead

Hong Kong has granted its first two licences for stablecoin issuers, and is pushing forward regulations on crypto dealers and custodians.

The Hong Kong Web3 Festival is organised by Wangxiang blockchain labs and HashKey Group. Photo: Handout
China digital currency

Hong Kong seen leading Asia in push to scale stablecoins, HSBC says

Interoperability and real-world applications seen as key hurdles as city looks to unlock tokenisation’s full potential.

Fintech

How PayMe’s 3.3 million users and Hong Kong firms could start using stablecoins

HSBC eyes retail stablecoin roll-out via PayMe in second half of 2026, as Standard Chartered-led joint venture focuses on institutions first.

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Banking & finance

Calls grow for HKMA to go further on stablecoins after conservative first batch

Analysts and investors say the HKMA’s cautious approach prioritises risk control, but limits Hong Kong’s digital asset ambitions.

Analysts say the HKMA has prioritised risk management , even as it seeks to promote financial innovation through stablecoins. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Fintech

HSBC, StanChart-led group among first to get stablecoin licences in Hong Kong

HSBC will launch its Hong Kong dollar stablecoin in the second half of this year, integrating it into its PayMe and mobile banking platforms.

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The awarding of stablecoin issuer licences marks the city’s latest step towards embracing cryptocurrency’s most-traded cash substitute. Photo: Reuters
Banking & finance

OKX Ventures, HashKey Capital back Vietnam crypto platform’s pilot scheme bid

Under pilot rules, at least 65 per cent of capital must come from institutional investors and foreign ownership is capped at 49 per cent.

Hong Kong economy

Letters | Hong Kong is not competing with US stablecoins or the digital renminbi

Readers discuss the city’s stablecoin ambitions, the use of e-payments, and the role eHealth could play in stroke prevention.

Banking & finance

Editorial | Stablecoin launch delay shows Hong Kong would rather be safe than sorry

Given the complexity involved, it’s wise not to rush to meet any self-imposed deadline but to make sure a good framework is in place first.

Hong Kong plans to be a digital asset hub with stablecoins playing a key role. Photo: Shutterstock
Scams and swindles

Cambodia’s high-stakes war on online scam compounds

Cambodia has vowed to stamp out the scam compounds on its soil by month’s end – but perpetrators remain drawn to the potential for huge profits.

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Illustration: Davies Christian
Banking & finance

Hong Kong’s anticipated stablecoin licence by end-March does not materialise

Analysts say the delay is most likely administrative and that the overall plan is still on track.

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Yuan

Open Questions | Kenneth Rogoff on why China’s yuan will be a reserve currency within 5 years

Harvard economist explains why cryptocurrencies will never take the US dollar’s place, despite their popularity in underground economies.

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Crime in Hong Kong

Police charge another 10 people over HK$1.6 billion JPEX cryptocurrency scandal

Four men and six women charged after police investigations identify abnormal transactions in suspicious accounts linked to case.

More than 2,700 people fell victim to the alleged JPEX scam. Photo: Handout
US-China relations

Open Questions | Euro, Chinese yuan to end US dollar dominance, top economist says

Kenneth Rogoff sees yuan as a reserve currency within five years, Europe asserting financial independence and greater regulation of stablecoins.

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Banking & finance

Open Dialogue | Gary Liu and Liu Xiaochun on the US and China’s divergent paths for stablecoins

As investors await Hong Kong’s first stablecoin licences, two experts discuss the assets’ integration with the city’s economy – and the world’s.

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Regulation

Has Hong Kong laid the groundwork to become a world-leading crypto hub?

With its regulatory clarity and superconnector edge, the city is drawing global crypto firms as it emerges as a premier Web3 hub.

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Illustration by Lau Ka-kuen
US-China relations

US-China split on digital money deepens as stablecoin debate stalls Clarity Act

Crypto push for yield clashes with banks, slowing US legislation as China advances interest-bearing e-CNY on a different path.

China’s e-CNY is a central bank digital currency that now allows interest-bearing holdings, reflecting Beijing’s state-led approach to digital money. Photo: VCG
Fintech

Exclusive | HSBC, Standard Chartered tipped to win Hong Kong stablecoin licences in 2 weeks

The approvals would mark a milestone in Hong Kong’s push to regulate stablecoins while positioning itself as a global digital asset centre.

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United States

Crypto billionaire Justin Sun settles US fraud case for US$10 million

The SEC sued Sun and his firms for securities fraud in 2023, but put the case on hold following Trump’s return to the White House.

Banking & finance

HSBC signals intent to join Hong Kong’s stablecoin regime amid digital hub push

Georges Elhedery declined to confirm whether HSBC applied for stablecoin licence but indicated that discussions with regulator were ongoing.

HSBC CEO Georges Elhedery poses for a photograph in Hong Kong on February 26, 2026. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Hong Kong budget 2026-27

Hong Kong’s virtual asset sector considered for taxation under policy review

Latest budget announces new government committee to be tasked with reviewing Hong Kong’s tax policies.

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A pedestrian passes in front of a currency mural on a shop’s gate in Hong Kong. Photo: Antony Dickson
Banking & finance

Why China’s rise as a ‘financial superpower’ could depend on Hong Kong

From the yuan’s growth as a global currency to IPO funding to tokenisation, the city is a linchpin in Beijing’s ambitions.

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Bitcoin

‘Sentiment is bleak’: bitcoin declines amid geopolitical tensions

Bitcoin prices drop as much as 3.2 per cent to US$66,604 on Tuesday, before paring the decline.

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