Hong Kong's Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has unveiled its Strategic Priorities for 2024-2026, focusing on elevating the city's status in the global financial landscape. The desire to tokenize traditional assets is one of the many proposals.
The regulator highlighted four key areas of focus: maintaining market resilience, enhancing Hong Kong's global capital market appeal, leading financial innovation, and boosting institutional resilience and efficiency.
SFC to Bolster Market Resilience
The SFC aims to fortify the city's financial market foundations to support sustainable growth. This entails addressing emerging risks, shoring up risk management capabilities among market infrastructure and intermediaries, and enhancing enforcement tools to uncover misconduct.
"With this roadmap, the Commission is now better placed than ever to respond robustly and creatively to new regulatory challenges at home and abroad and to shape market developments," said Tim Lui, the Chairman of the SFC.
Boosting Global Competitiveness
Hong Kong will focus on leveraging mainland China ties and overseas networks to broaden its investor base. The city aims to enhance its IPO fundraising capabilities and improve market liquidity.
"In particular, we are committed to playing an even more active part in further strengthening Hong Kong's unique role as a gateway to the Mainland and positioning the city as an offshore hub for RMB businesses and risk management , as well as supporting national development and safeguarding financial security," Lui added.
Embracing Innovation and Tokenization
The regulator additionally looks to advance Hong Kong's position in areas like virtual assets, tokenization, and sustainable finance while ensuring investor protection against threats like greenwashing.
According to the report attached to the statement, the SFC aims to "advance the regulatory regime for virtual asset trading platforms by providing regulatory guidance to new virtual asset activities" while simultaneously expanding the scope of tokenization of traditional products, which is expected to enhance investor protection.
This is another step towards better oversight of the cryptocurrency industry, after the SFC stated in October that it would supervise digital token trading platforms together with local police.
Enhancing Institutional Resilience
Finally, the SFC aims to pursue greater operational efficiency, step up cyber resilience and ensure adequate financial resources to uphold its role as critical infrastructure.
"The Commission would be on a stronger footing to keep investors out of harm's way," said Julia Leung, the Chief Executive Officer at the SFC. "We want to bring wrongdoers to justice when financial crimes nowadays come in any shape and form, as well as to bring the full range of resources and tools at its disposal to achieve positive regulatory outcomes."
The newest strategy outlines the Commission's approach to navigating the evolving financial landscape, underscoring its dedication to sustaining Hong Kong's position as a premier global financial center.
