February 11, 2026
By Tsering Namgyal
In a speech aimed at rallying support for Hong Kong’s ambition to be a global digital assets hub, the city’s regulators will issue the first batch of stablecoin licenses within next month as scheduled, chief executive John Lee told a major crypto conference.
Hong Kong is one of the freest economies in the world, with an independent judiciary and a common law system that makes it conducive for the development of the city as a major digital assets hub, he told in his opening remarks.
Li made the statement during the second day of Consensus Hong Kong, one of the world’s largest crypto and blockchain conferences, that has attracted nearly 15,000 attendees from more than 100 countries.
“The world of Web3 and digital assets carries with it a vast potential,” he told a packed hall. “Hong Kong is committed to establishing Hong Kong as a global hub for innovation in digital assets.”
To this end, Hong Kong has been actively building regulatory frameworks to ensure the sustainable development of its Web3 ecosystem.
Hong Kong ranks as number three in global competitiveness rankings and number four in global talent rankings, he said, indicating that its position as one of the world’s top three financial centers after New York and London makes its well-positioned to become a digital assets and Web3 hub.
The city wants to build a “trusted and innovative digital ecosystem, one that prioritizes risk management and investor protection while delivering concrete benefits to the real economy and financial markets.”
Hong Kong’s licensing regime for fiat-referenced stablecoins is evidence of Hong Kong’s ambition to be a digital assets powerhouse, he said. The first batch of the licenses will be issued within the next month, he said.
“Hong Kong will go all out to be at the forefront of this pivotal shift in finance. We welcome institutions from around the world come to Hong Kong to build a brighter future.”
Financial Secretary Paul Chan in his speech also said that Hong Kong’s regulatory framework will ensure that “our regulatory regime comprehensively covers the key nodes of the digital asset ecosystem.”
He pointed out that the Project Ensemble – a peer-to-peer 24-hour cross-bank settlement of tokenized deposits – launched by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), the city’s de facto central bank, in November 2025 is aimed at enabling “faster, more efficient and safer” settlement of tokenized transactions.
He also said that looking ahead with the increasing convergence of AI and blockchain, the regulators with work with different bodies to identify, monitor and manage risks in the emerging sector, he said.
“Hong Kong as a government and our financial regulators fully recognize and are committed to keep pace with rapid technological changes and in building a vibrant digital asset eco-system in Hong Kong,” Chan said.
About the author
Tsering Namgyal is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Blockwind.news.
