John Lee: Hong Kong is committed to becoming a global digital asset innovation hub, with the first batch of stablecoin issuer licenses expected to be issued next month.

Techub News reports that in a video address at the Consensus 2026 conference, John Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, stated that Hong Kong is actively building itself into a global digital asset innovation hub. Lee pointed out that Hong Kong possesses advantages including a tradition of rule of law, an independent judiciary, a common law system, free capital flow, and a low-tax regime. The government issued the Digital Asset Development Policy Declaration 2.0 in June last year and implemented the stablecoin ordinance in August last year, establishing a licensing system for fiat-referenced stablecoin issuers. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority is currently processing relevant applications, with the first batch of stablecoin issuer licenses expected to be issued next month. Furthermore, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission announced a roadmap for virtual asset market regulation last year, enhancing market liquidity and expanding product services through multiple measures. Currently, Hong Kong ranks fourth globally in digital competitiveness, fourth in talent ranking, and is home to 5 universities among the world's top 100.