Regulators in Hong Kong laid out ten measures to boost bond issuance, deepen RMB markets, and advance tokenized assets. The plan ties in a third batch of tokenized green bonds and a new stablecoin licensing regime, signaling how the city wants to anchor its role in digital finance.
A Roadmap With Four Pillars
Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and the Monetary Authority (HKMA) released a Fixed Income and Money Market Roadmap. The framework rests on four pillars – expand issuance, strengthen secondary-market liquidity, grow offshore renminbi capacity, and build next-gen infrastructure.
Since 2019, Hong Kong has already issued HK$386 billion worth of multi-currency bonds, showing regulators are prepared to lead with state-backed supply. That base is meant to attract follow-on corporate and institutional paper.
Tokenized Bonds and CBDC Integration
Tokenization is not theory here. Earlier issuances raised US$100 million in 2023 and US$750 million in 2024 through tokenized green bonds. A third batch is now in the pipeline, with plans to test settlement on both the asset and funding side.
Related: Hong Kong to Support Commercial Bank Tokenization Initiatives in 2025 Policy Address
This links directly with the HKMA’s e-HKD+ and Project Ensemble pilots, which trialed wholesale CBDC for tokenized deposits and cross-border payments.
Infrastructure and Stablecoin Licensing
The roadmap also folds in infrastructure already in motion. HKEX launched digital asset indexes for Bitcoin and Ethereum, giving benchmarks during Asia trading hours.
On the regulatory side, a stablecoin licensing regime took effect on August 1, placing fiat-backed stablecoin issuance under HKMA supervision. Officials say they are weighing tax breaks, including stamp-duty exemptions for tokenized ETFs, to cut entry costs.
For traders, the takeaway is that more sovereign supply deepens bond curves, tokenized bonds now sit alongside CBDC rails, and stablecoins fall under direct regulatory oversight.
Related: Bank of Korea Gears Up for Three-Month “Hangang” CBDC Trial with 100,000 Consumers
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