HKMA Eddie Yue
Caproasia.com | The leading source of data, research, information & resource for financial professionals, investment managers, professional investors, family offices & advisors to institutions, billionaires, UHNWs & HNWs. Covering capital markets, investments and private wealth in Asia. How do you invest $3 million to $300 million? How do you manage $20 million to $3 billion of assets? Caproasia - Learn more



2025 Summits in Hong Kong & Singapore
Investment / Alternatives Summit - March / Oct / Nov
Investment Day - March / July / Sept / Oct / Nov
Private Wealth Summit - April / Oct / Nov
Family Office Summit - April / Oct / Nov
View Events | Register


This site is for accredited investors, professional investors, investment managers and financial professionals only. You should have assets around $3 million to $300 million or managing $20 million to $30 billion.












Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) Chief Executive Eddie Yue Issues Warning to Avoid Speculation & Exercise Caution on Stablecoins: 1) Some Discussions on Stablecoins Overly Idealistic Including Potential to Disrupt Mainstream Financial System (Particularly Payments), 2) Mere Announcement of Intent to Explore Stablecoin-Related Business or Digital Assets Sent Listed Companies Stock Prices & Trading Volumes Soaring, 3) Hong Kong Will Only Grant Handful of Stablecoin Issuer Licences & Large Number of Applicants Will be Disappointed, 4) Uncertainty on Short-Term Profitability of Stablecoin Issuers, 5) Stablecoins Ordinance Will Effect on 1st August 2025 Which Means Illegal for Unlicensed Fiat-Referenced Stablecoin (FRS) to Retail Investors or Active Marketing, 6) Greater Concerns of Criminals Using Stablecoins & Preventing Money Laundering, 7) HKMA Wil Issue Explanatory Note on Licensing of Stablecoin Issuer

24th July | Hong Kong

Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) Chief Executive Eddie Yue has issued warning to avoid speculation & exercise caution on stablecoins: 1) Some discussions on stablecoins overly idealistic including potential to disrupt mainstream financial system (particularly payments), 2) Mere announcement of intent to explore stablecoin-related business or digital assets sent listed companies stock prices & trading volumes soaring, 3) Hong Kong will only grant handful of stablecoin issuer licences & large number of applicants will be disappointed, 4) Uncertainty on short-term profitability of stablecoin issuers, 5) Stablecoins Ordinance will effect on 1st August 2025 which means illegal for unlicensed Fiat-Referenced Stablecoin (FRS) to retail investors or active marketing, 6) Greater concerns of criminals using stablecoins & preventing money laundering, 7) HKMA will issue Explanatory Note on Licensing of Stablecoin Issuers.  See below for statement by Eddie Yue:

“ Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) Chief Executive Eddie Yue Issues Warning to Avoid Speculation & Exercise Caution on Stablecoins: 1) Some Discussions on Stablecoins Overly Idealistic Including Potential to Disrupt Mainstream Financial System (Particularly Payments), 2) Mere Announcement of Intent to Explore Stablecoin-Related Business or Digital Assets Sent Listed Companies Stock Prices & Trading Volumes Soaring, 3) Hong Kong Will Only Grant Handful of Stablecoin Issuer Licences & Large Number of Applicants Will be Disappointed, 4) Uncertainty on Short-Term Profitability of Stablecoin Issuers, 5) Stablecoins Ordinance Will Effect on 1st August 2025 Which Means Illegal for Unlicensed Fiat-Referenced Stablecoin (FRS) to Retail Investors or Active Marketing, 6) Greater Concerns of Criminals Using Stablecoins & Preventing Money Laundering, 7) HKMA Wil Issue Explanatory Note on Licensing of Stablecoin Issuer “

 



- Article continues below -



Sign Up
Basic Member: $5 Monthly | $60 Yearly
Newsletter Daily 2 pm (Promo): $20 Monthly | $180 Yearly (FP: $680)


The 2025 Investment Day
Hong Kong | Singapore
March / July / Sept / Oct / Nov

Private Equity, Hedge Funds, Boutique Funds, Private Markets & more. Join 20+ CIOs & Senior investment team, with > 60% single family offices with $300 million AUM. Taking place in Hong Kong and in Singapore. Every March, July, Sept, Oct & Nov.
Visit | Register here


The 2025 Family Office Summit
10th April & 16th Oct Hong Kong Ritz Carlton | 24th April & 6th Nov Singapore Amara Sanctuary Resort

Join 80 single family offices & family office professionals in Hong Kong & Singapore
Links: 2025 Family Office Summit | Register here


2025 Investment / Alternatives Summit
March / Oct / Nov in Hong Kong & Singapore

Join leading asset managers, hedge funds, boutique funds, private equity, venture capital & real estate firms in Hong Kong, Singapore & Asia-Pacific at the Investment / Alternatives Summit. Join as delegate, speaker, presenter, partner & sponsor.
Visit | Register here


2025 Private Wealth Summit
April / Oct / Nov in Hong Kong & Singapore

Join CEOs, CIOs, Head of Private Banking, Head of Family Offices & Product Heads at The Private Wealth Summit.  Join as delegate, speaker, presenter, partner & sponsor.
Visit | Register here





 

 

HKMA Eddie Yue:

I shared some views in the inSight article last month on promoting the robust and sustainable development of stablecoins in Hong Kong and sounded a word of caution amidst public’s interest. Judging the market and public excitement over the past month, it seems necessary to further rein in the euphoria. Today, I would like to further expound on our regulatory perspectives and elaborate on the next steps for implementing the Stablecoins Ordinance in a robust and sustainable manner.

Avoiding Undue Speculation

  • Given the merits of stablecoins as an emerging payment instrument and their gradual integration into the mainstream financial system as regulation takes shape, it is natural for the public to be interested in and have expectations for their functionality and development prospects. That said, while it is necessary to guard against undue speculation caused by market and public opinions, some recent phenomena warrant our attention.
  • First, some discussion on stablecoins may be overly idealistic. There have been a lot of talks about stablecoins’ potential to disrupt the mainstream financial system, particularly payments. However, a significant gap emerges when translating the concept and theory into practical use cases and concrete programmes.  Take Hong Kong for example, a few dozen institutions have proactively reached out to the HKMA so far, with some clearly expressing their intention to apply for a stablecoin issuer licence, while others are simply looking for a sounding board. A common takeaway from these engagements is that many proposals remain conceptual, presenting visions such as enhancing cross-border payment, supporting the development of Web3.0 or optimising the efficiency of foreign exchange market but lacking practical use cases.  They also fail to put together viable and concrete plans as well as implementation roadmaps, let alone demonstrate their awareness of risks and competence in managing them. Among those that can provide viable use cases, some may lack the technical expertise in issuing stablecoins, as well as the experience and capabilities in managing various financial risks. Indeed, there are multiple ways to participate in the stablecoin ecosystem. It will be more practical for these institutions to collaborate with other stablecoin issuers by defining use cases, rather than seeking to become an issuer themselves.
  • What’s more concerning is the growing frothiness of the market. The recent hype surrounding stablecoins has led to excessive exuberance.  For instance, a mere announcement of intention to explore stablecoin-related business or digital assets is enough for some listed companies to grab headlines and send stock prices and trading volumes soaring.  Earlier on we have clearly stated that, in the initial stage, we will at most grant a handful of stablecoin issuer licences. In other words, a large number of applicants will be disappointed.  Even for those who successfully obtain a licence, given the imperative for prudent development and the initial investments needed, how much stablecoin issuance business can contribute to the company’s short-term profitability is somewhat uncertain. Investors should remain calm and exercise independent judgement when processing “positive” market news. Moreover, fraudulent activities have recently been observed under the guise of promoting digital assets and stablecoins, resulting in public losses. The Stablecoins Ordinance will come into effect on 1 August. According to the Ordinance, starting from the commencement date, it will be illegal for any person to offer any unlicensed fiat-referenced stablecoin (FRS) to a retail investor, or actively market the issue of unlicensed FRS to the public of Hong Kong. We urge the public to stay vigilant to avoid violating the law inadvertently. The public should also stay cautious if you come across marketing of unlicensed stablecoins during this period.

Guarding Against Financial Risks

  • Stablecoin is also recently a frequently discussed topic among central banks and financial regulatory authorities.  The focus of the discussions centres on its inherent and spillover risks including its impact on mainstream financial markets and banks. However, the greater concern lies in ways to prevent stablecoins from being used by criminals as a tool for money laundering, especially in cross-border use cases. The Bank for International Settlements, often referred to as the “central bank of central banks”, emphasised at great length the importance of preventing money laundering risks associated with stablecoins in their latest Annual Economic Report.
  • As an international financial centre, Hong Kong is widely recognised for its prudent regulatory standards. Following the passage of the Stablecoins Bill, we immediately consulted the market regarding the two implementation guidelines on supervision and anti-money laundering. We are currently refining the requirements based on the feedback, with a view to publishing the guidelines by the end of July.  It is expected that the final version will not differ significantly from the consultation draft. However, in light of shared international regulatory concerns, more stringent requirements will be imposed in respect of anti-money laundering to minimise the risks of stablecoins being used as a money laundering tool.  This is to ensure the orderly and healthy development of Hong Kong’s stablecoin market.
  • Regulation is an art of balancing divergent objectives. More stringent regulatory requirements will inevitably limit the room for stablecoin businesses to scale rapidly in the short term.  Some market participants may have a different view.  Nevertheless, it is better for regulated stablecoin business, which is still in its infancy, to start with stricter regulations to ensure sound operation.  With practical experience gained, we will be in a position to be flexible in certain areas.  This will be a more suitable approach than dealing with the consequences left by lax regulations. Having said that, we also recognise the importance of ensuring that the regulatory requirements are necessary and reasonable to create room for issuing entities to stand on their feet and thrive.

We are aware of recent market rumours about the application process. We will release the “Explanatory Note on Licensing of Stablecoin Issuers” next week, which will outline the HKMA’s arrangements for accepting and processing licence applications. Stay tuned.

Eddie Yue
Chief Executive
Hong Kong Monetary Authority

23 July 2025

 

 

Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) Chief Executive Eddie Yue Issues Warning to Avoid Speculation & Exercise Caution on Stablecoins: 1) Some Discussions on Stablecoins Overly Idealistic Including Potential to Disrupt Mainstream Financial System (Particularly Payments), 2) Mere Announcement of Intent to Explore Stablecoin-Related Business or Digital Assets Sent Listed Companies Stock Prices & Trading Volumes Soaring, 3) Hong Kong Will Only Grant Handful of Stablecoin Issuer Licences & Large Number of Applicants Will be Disappointed, 4) Uncertainty on Short-Term Profitability of Stablecoin Issuers, 5) Stablecoins Ordinance Will Effect on 1st August 2025 Which Means Illegal for Unlicensed Fiat-Referenced Stablecoin (FRS) to Retail Investors or Active Marketing, 6) Greater Concerns of Criminals Using Stablecoins & Preventing Money Laundering, 7) HKMA Wil Issue Explanatory Note on Licensing of Stablecoin Issuer

HKMA Eddie Yue



Managing $20 million to $3 billion. Investing $3 million to $300 million.
For Investment Managers, Hedge Funds, Boutique Funds, Private Equity, Venture Capital, Professional Investors, Family Offices, Private Bankers & Advisors, sign up today. Subscribe to Caproasia and receive the latest news, data, insights & reports, events & programs daily at 2 pm.

Join Events & Find Services
Join Investments, Private Wealth, Family Office events in Hong Kong, Singapore, Asia-wide. Find hard-to-find $3 million to $300 million financial & investment services at The Financial Centre | TFC. Find financial, investment, private wealth, family office, real estate, luxury investments, citizenship, law firms & more.  List hard-to-find financial & private wealth services.

Have a product launch? Promote a product or service? List your service at The Financial Centre | TFC. Join interviews & editorial and be featured on Caproasia.com or join Investments, Private Wealth, Family Office events. Contact us at [email protected] or [email protected]

Caproasia.com | The leading source of data, research, information & resource for financial professionals, investment managers, professional investors, family offices & advisors to institutions, billionaires, UHNWs & HNWs. Covering capital markets, investments and private wealth in Asia. How do you invest $3 million to $300 million? How do you manage $20 million to $3 billion of assets?



Quick Links


2021 Data Release
2020 List of Private Banks in Hong Kong
2020 List of Private Banks in Singapore
2020 Top 10 Largest Family Office
2020 Top 10 Largest Multi-Family Offices
2020 Report: Hong Kong Private Banks & Asset Mgmt - $4.49 Trillion
2020 Report: Singapore Asset Mgmt - $3.48 Trillion AUM


For Investors | Professionals | Executives
Latest data, reports, insights, news, events & programs
Everyday at 2 pm
Direct to your inbox
Save 2 to 8 hours per week. Organised for success

Register Below

For CEOs, Heads, Senior Management, Market Heads, Desk Heads, Financial Professionals, Investment Managers, Asset Managers, Fund Managers, Hedge Funds, Boutique Funds, Analysts, Advisors, Wealth Managers, Private Bankers, Family Offices, Investment Bankers, Private Equity, Institutional Investors, Professional Investors

Get Ahead in 60 Seconds. Join 10,000 +
Save 2 to 8 hours weekly. Organised for Success.

Sign Up / Register


    MemberSubscribeInvestment EventsPrivate Wealth EventsFamily Office EventsFind ServicesFind Advisors / InvestmentsFind Clients / Raise Capital


    Corporate MemberSubscriptionEvents (Speakers / Delegates / Booths)WebinarsSponsorshipAdvertise / MediaList B2B ServicesList B2C ServicesE-Newsletter 2 pm Feature to 10K+ Subscribers


    Investment Day HK (July, Sept, Oct)Investment Day SG (July, Sept, Nov)Family Office Summit HK 16th OctFamily Office Summit SG 6th Nov















    Web links may be disabled on mobile for security.
    Please click on desktop.










    Caproasia Users

    • Manage $20 million to $3 billion of assets
    • Invest $3 million to $300 million
    • Advise institutions, billionaires, UHNWs & HNWs

    Caproasia Platforms | 11,000 Investors & Advisors

    Monthly Roundtable & Networking

    Family Office Programs

    The 2025 Investment Day

    • March - Hong Kong
    • March - Singapore
    • July - Hong Kong
    • July - Singapore
    • Sept- Hong Kong
    • Sept - Singapore
    • Oct- Hong Kong
    • Nov - Singapore
    • Visit: The Investment Day | Register: Click here

    Caproasia Summits

    Contact Us

    For Enquiries, Membership
    [email protected], [email protected]

    For Listing, Subscription
    [email protected], [email protected]

    For Press Release, send to:
    [email protected]

    For Events & Webinars
    [email protected]

    For Media Kit, Advertising, Sponsorships, Partnerships
    [email protected]

    For Research, Data, Surveys, Reports
    [email protected]

    For General Enquiries
    [email protected]





    Caproasia | Driving the future of Asia
    a financial information technology co.
    since 2014