Hong Kong Securities Regulator Outlines Digital Asset Milestones

Hong Kong's Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) Executive Director of Intermediaries, Yeh Chi-heng, delivered a keynote speech at the 2026 Hong Kong Web3 Carnival. According to ChainCatcher, Yeh reviewed six significant milestones achieved since the launch of the ASPIRe roadmap last year. These include allowing licensed platforms to offer staking services, conducting joint consultations on virtual asset trading and custody systems, opening perpetual contracts and margin financing frameworks, and introducing technology-enhanced market defense plans. Yeh disclosed that the draft regulations for virtual asset trading, custody, management, and advisory systems have reached 260 pages, with the draft received last week. Over the next 12 months, the SFC's work will focus on three main clusters: using regulation to drive innovation through legislative and regulatory guidance consultations, allowing tokenized authorized funds to trade on licensed platforms, and promoting innovation through interaction by advancing automated reporting, signing international bilateral memorandums, and enhancing frameworks to combat financial crime. He emphasized that Hong Kong is progressing steadily, moving quickly due to its robust approach.