Hong Kong Holds Firm on End-2026 Deadline for Crypto Licensing Bill

Hong Kong's decision to keep its end-2026 deadline signals a deliberate, staged approach to regulating crypto, even as other jurisdictions move faster. Extending licensing to custody and advisory services is the key shift: it brings a wider set of intermediaries into the regulatory perimeter, which could reshape how firms structure their Asia operations. Whether this timeline holds amid shifting global standards — and how firms already active in the region adapt — is the open question.