The race for Hong Kong’s first stablecoin licenses is heating up, with just 3-4 “entry tickets” on the line. 🎟️ Traditional banks, tech giants, and local innovators are all vying for a spot. But who has the edge?
🏦 Banking Contenders: Standard Chartered is a frontrunner due to its early participation in the HKMA sandbox and focus on cross-border settlement. Bank of China (HK) holds a key advantage with its role as the sole offshore RMB clearing bank.
💻 Tech Titans: Ant Group has unmatched consumer reach with over 50% of Hong Kong’s e-payment market share. However, JD Technology has a sandbox advantage and a strong B2B focus with over 1,000 Hong Kong business clients.
📈 Securities Firms: Guotai Junan is a strong candidate with its comprehensive licensing portfolio and a clear stablecoin use case for IPO settlements. Futu Securities benefits from a large, engaged user base.
🚀 Dark Horses: Local challengers like CircCo, founded by a former HKMA Chief Executive, and HKT, in a joint venture with Standard Chartered and Animoca Brands, have unique advantages and are active in the sandbox.
The final decision will likely favor a diverse group of winners.
Who do you think will win the first licenses and why?
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