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Hong Kong Grants First Stablecoin Issuer Licenses

According to Animoca Brands’ official announcement, joint venture Anchorpoint Fintech plans to phase in the regulated Hong Kong dollar-backed stablecoin HKDAP from the second quarter following Hong Kong’s first licensing approvals.

Fact Check
The central claim that HKMA would announce its first stablecoin licenses on April 10 is supported by the fetched NBD report '香港首批稳定币牌照今天下午公布' and the PANews article '香港首批稳定币牌照今天下午公布 | PANews', both stating a 5 p.m. April 10 announcement. RootData independently repeats the same April 10, 5 p.m. detail. CoinDesk's 'Hong Kong hasn’t issued a single HKD stablecoin license after March target' is not a contradiction; it reflects the status on April 1, when no licenses had yet been issued and the March target had slipped. However, I did not obtain a directly fetched HKMA official press release confirming the announcement, and the user's added statement about Hong Kong-listed stablecoin-related stocks extending gains is not directly supported by the gathered sources. So the April 10 announcement portion is likely true, but the broader market-reaction framing remains unverified here.
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Summary

Hong Kong has granted its first stablecoin issuer licenses, advancing the city’s regulated digital asset framework. HKMA Chief Executive Eddie Yue said licensed issuers are expected to begin operations in the coming months once preparations are complete, and he urged the public to use regulated channels and remain alert to fraud. Animoca Brands later said in an official announcement that Anchorpoint Fintech, a joint venture founded by Standard Chartered, HKT and Animoca Brands, will phase in the regulated Hong Kong dollar-backed stablecoin HKDAP from the second quarter. The update adds a more specific planned rollout window and identifies the venture behind one of the upcoming launches.

Terms & Concepts
  • Stablecoin: A cryptocurrency designed to maintain a stable value, usually by being pegged to a fiat currency or backed by reserve assets.
  • HKDAP: A regulated Hong Kong dollar-backed stablecoin that Anchorpoint Fintech says it plans to phase in from the second quarter.