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Hong Kong and the UAE Collaborate on Crypto Regulation

Policy & Regulation·June 01, 2023, 12:15 AM

Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) central banks have announced a collaboration to work on cryptocurrency regulations and financial technology development. The move is significant insofar as both territories have been making headway in developing global crypto hubs over the course of the past six months.

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

 

Strengthening cooperation

Following a meeting on Monday, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the Central Bank of the UAE published a statement on Tuesday, in which they set out the areas of cooperation between them. They agreed to strengthen cooperation on “virtual asset regulations and developments.”

The central banks also expressed their commitment to facilitating discussions on joint fintech development initiatives and the sharing of knowledge through their respective innovation hubs.

 

Financial infrastructure

During the meeting, the officials highlighted the importance of financial infrastructure and financial market connectivity between the two jurisdictions. The Governor of the Central Bank of the UAE, H.E. Khaled Mohamed Balama, expressed his anticipation for an ongoing and long-term relationship with the HKMA.

HKMA’s Chief Executive Eddie Yue echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that both regions share many complementary strengths and mutual interests, which will contribute to the economic benefits of the collaboration.

In addition to the meeting, a seminar was organized for senior executives from banks in Hong Kong and the UAE. The seminar covered various topics, including improving cross-border trade settlement and exploring how UAE corporations can leverage Hong Kong’s financial infrastructure platforms to gain access to Asian markets.

This collaboration comes at a time when the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) in Hong Kong is allowing virtual asset service providers (VASPs) to cater to retail investors starting from June 1. Christopher Hui, the Treasury Chief of Hong Kong, emphasized that virtual assets are here to stay and acknowledged the fundamental value they bring. Hui also stressed the importance of regulation to harness the positive elements of cryptocurrencies while mitigating potential risks.

Since the announcement of the application process by the SFC, several cryptocurrency exchanges, including CoinEx, Huobi, BitMEX, and OKX, have filed applications to provide dedicated crypto trading services in Hong Kong.

 

FAFT travel rule

The collaboration between the central banks of Hong Kong and the UAE marks a significant step in the global development of cryptocurrency regulations and fintech innovation. The move is demonstrative of ever improving levels of international cooperation on digital assets worldwide.

Both jurisdictions are moving forward with the implementation of the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) travel rule. The UAE issued new guidelines in that respect on Tuesday. Hong Kong has gotten a head start in this respect, with the implementation of the travel rule through the introduction of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing (Amendment) Bill in December 2022.

By leveraging their respective strengths and knowledge-sharing efforts, these regions aim to foster a conducive environment for the growth and adoption of digital assets. With increased financial infrastructure connectivity and joint initiatives, both jurisdictions are poised to benefit economically from this collaboration in the long run.

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