HashKey Exchange Becomes First Licensed Crypto Exchange in Hong Kong to Offer Retail Services

Asia's digital asset group HashKey Group announced that its regulated crypto exchange HashKey Exchange has been approved by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) to upgrade its Type 1 and Type 7 licenses, becoming the first exchange to offer retail services in Hong Kong.

HashKey Exchange was launched in Q2 2023 and was available for professional investors initially. It submitted the application for the retail service license under Hong Kong's virtual asset regulation policies on June 1. Now, HashKey Exchange has officially opened pre-registration, and registered users will be rewarded with HashKey EcoPoints ($HSK). In addition to supporting fiat on-and-off ramps, HashKey Exchange has also partnered up with Standard Chartered Bank to provide users with fiat currency deposit and withdrawal services. Meanwhile, the platform has opened the only compliant OTC trading in the Asia-Pacific region, offering users more trading options.

Livio Weng, COO of HashKey Group said: "We are thrilled to become the first licensed trading platform in Hong Kong dedicated to serving retail users. With the establishment of licensed trading platforms and the further clarity of regulatory frameworks in Hong Kong, the industry as a whole will witness increased transparency, leading to a significant boost in investor confidence. As an industry leader, we will continue to fulfill our commitments in compliance, safety and security, ensuring our user benefits are fully protected and creating a trading platform tailored to retail users."

Update on August 3 at 4:10pm UTC: HashKey Exchange made an adjustment to the official statement, replacing Standard Chartered Bank with “commercial banks including note issuing banks in Hong Kong”

Related: HashKey Group Launches EcoPoints Token $HSK