Hong Kong's financial regulators have approved the launch of spot bitcoin and ether exchange-traded funds (ETFs), embracing cryptocurrency in the region. This move, announced on Monday and reported by CNBC, follows similar actions in the United States to introduce these products to the market.
ChinaAMC, Harvest Global, and Bosera International are among the companies approved by Hong Kong's Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) to issue ETFs focused on bitcoin and ether.
While this development shows Hong Kong's efforts to position itself as a regulated crypto hub, it also raises questions about the participation of mainland Chinese investors, given the crypto trading ban imposed in mainland China in 2021.
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The approval comes amidst a surge in interest in cryptocurrency ETFs, particularly bitcoin ETFs, in the global market. An earlier report from VCPost showed that Bitcoin recently surpassed an all-time high.
Now, these financial instruments allow investors to gain exposure to the price movements of cryptocurrencies without directly owning them. Hong Kong's move is expected to attract traditional investors to the crypto market, potentially reshaping investment dynamics in the region.
Notably, this decision positions Hong Kong as one of the pioneering jurisdictions that approved an ether ETF, distinguishing it from other global financial centers. While the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has yet to approve such a product, industry experts do not anticipate immediate approval from the regulator.
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