Hong Kong Monetary Authority to Announce First Stablecoin Licenses

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) is set to announce its first batch of stablecoin licenses today at 17:00 UTC+8. According to Foresight News, licensed stablecoin issuers will subsequently meet with the media. The HKMA completed the final review of the initial applications by mid-March 2026 and is now in the official announcement preparation stage. A total of 36 applications were received, with plans to issue 2 to 3 licenses under strict regulatory standards. In early February, HKMA Chief Executive Yu Weiwen stated the aim to issue the first stablecoin issuer licenses by March this year, emphasizing a cautious approach with a limited number of initial licenses.