Hong Kong prepares for retail access to spot cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds, boosting city’s virtual-asset hub ambitions
- Hong Kong is prepared to authorise funds with direct exposure to virtual assets, according to the city’s securities regulator and central bank
- This move shows policymakers’ determination to rebuild confidence in virtual assets, following major financial scandals involving cryptocurrencies
Spot cryptocurrency ETFs enable investors to gain exposure to virtual assets without directly buying any crypto tokens. These funds are considered by the crypto industry as important vehicles for virtual assets to become more attractive to mainstream investors.
“By introducing a regulated and accessible investment vehicle like a spot bitcoin ETF, Hong Kong can attract both institutional and retail investors seeking exposure to cryptocurrencies.”
One of the “key advantages” of spot crypto ETFs is that these offer regulators a pre-existing standard to work with, as they adhere to crucial factors including legal, regulatory and compliance, according to Tan. He indicated that this ensures a “familiar” approval process for regulators and a well-known investment environment for investors.
Hong Kong to review laws, regulators’ powers after crypto scandals: John Lee
Bitcoin prices have gained more than 40 per cent over the past six months on the back of spot crypto ETF applications filed by major traditional financial institutions, including BlackRock, Fidelity and Invesco.