Hong Kong Stablecoin Licenses Delayed Amid Market Anticipation

Hong Kong's anticipated issuance of its first batch of compliant stablecoin issuer licenses, initially expected in March 2026, has yet to occur. According to NS3.AI, a spokesperson for the Hong Kong Monetary Authority stated that the authority is actively progressing with the licensing process and plans to announce the results publicly at a suitable time. Market attention is primarily directed towards HSBC and Standard Chartered for the initial batch of licenses, while applications for the second batch are also in progress.