The Financial Secretary, Paul Chan Mo-po, just dropped the news that the city’s Monetary Authority will start handing out stablecoin licenses in the next few months.

Licenses for stablecoin issuers, the kind pegged to fiat currencies like the Hong Kong Dollar.

It’s happening soon, following the Stablecoins Ordinance that got the green light in May.

Regulated, serious business

Now, this ordinance means only licensed players can issue these fiat-referenced stablecoins, or FRS in Hong Kong starting August 1. Retail investors?

They’ll only get to buy tokens from these approved institutions. It’s like the city’s saying, we want innovation, but we want it clean and responsible.

No crypto chaos here, regulators want a sustainable playground where the crypto assets game can grow without blowing up in everyone’s face.

Chan’s got a plan, and it’s a slow dance, not a sprint. First, nail down the rules and licensing.

Then, maybe, stablecoins tied to other real-world assets come into play, stuff that actually does something useful, not just speculative nonsense.

Think cross-border payments that cut costs and speed things up, quite a game-changer for businesses dealing with international transactions. It’s like upgrading from snail mail to express courier overnight.

There’s big demand from the big corps

Big names are already knocking on the HKMA’s door. Logistics tech firm Reitar Logtech and the overseas arm of Ant Group have thrown their hats in the ring.

JD.com’s fintech wing, JD Coinlink, isn’t just waiting around either, they’ve been testing HKD-pegged tokens in the regulator’s sandbox since July last year and expect to snag their license early Q4 2025.

They’re gearing up to launch their own JD Stablecoin right after. Imagine the kind of muscle that brings to the table.

The race is on

Across the Pacific, tech giants like Apple, X, Airbnb, and Google are also eyeing stablecoins to streamline cross-border payments and slash transaction costs.

The US is pushing hard with crypto legislation, aiming to get bills like the GENIUS Act and Clarity Act passed before the August recess. It’s a global race, and Hong Kong’s playing to win.

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