Not a good time: Hong Kong legalizes retail trading in cryptocurrencies

Hong Kong plans to legalize retail cryptocurrency trading, which contrasts with skeptical

the city's stance on cryptocurrency in recent years and the ban in place in mainland China.

Discuss

A planned crypto-platform mandatory licensing program starting next March will allow retail trading, according to people familiar with the matter.

Regulators want to allow listing of largertokens, but will not endorse specific coins such as bitcoin or ether, sources told Bloomberg, adding that the details and timetable are yet to be determined as consultations must first take place.

On Monday, the government is expected to refine its recently stated goal of building a leading crypto hub.

The upcoming listing of tokens on retail exchanges is likely to include criteria such as market value, liquidity, and membership in third-party crypto indices, the publication reports.