Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission: Licensed virtual asset trading platforms are allowed to provide pledge services

The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission officially released the pledge-related guidelines for licensed virtual asset trading platforms and recognized virtual asset funds, which pointed out that licensed virtual asset trading platforms are allowed to provide pledge services, including providing pledges for virtual asset spot ETFs. Pledges allow investors to lock their virtual assets to support blockchain networks and earn returns, but due to the risks involved, the Securities and Futures Commission will implement additional safeguards, including requiring licensed platforms to keep pledged virtual assets and setting an upper limit on the proportion of virtual asset spot ETFs that can be pledged to manage liquidity risks.

Cai Fengyi, executive director of the Investment Products Department of the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, said that the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission is expanding the scope of eligible virtual asset targets. Initially, virtual asset spot ETFs mainly focused on Bitcoin and Ethereum. Now more virtual assets have met the conditions for retail trading on licensed platforms, which will pave the way for the diversification of ETF products, such as a single ETF that tracks a basket of virtual assets.