Regardless of Hong Kong steadily progressing with cryptocurrency adoption, mainland China has not modified its anti-crypto stance by way of native laws.
Some Chinese language state-affiliated banks have more and more opened financial institution accounts to serve crypto purchasers in Hong Kong. CPIC Funding Administration — a China government-backed agency regulated as a Hong Kong entity — even launched two cryptocurrency funds in April.
All these developments don’t imply that China has softened or will soften its method to regulating Bitcoin (BTC) anytime quickly, in keeping with CPIC Funding Administration CEO Chenggang Zhou.
“The Hong Kong authorities tries very exhausting to advertise Web3 and crypto, but it surely doesn’t suggest any modifications in mainland regulatory laws or the Chinese language authorities’s angle towards crypto,” Zhou mentioned in an interview with Cointelegraph on Could 5.
Zhou emphasised that regardless of China authorities’s backing, CPIC Funding Administration operates as a Hong Kong entity regulated by the Securities and Futures Fee.
“Hong Kong laws permit us to put money into completely different markets or asset courses or merchandise like cryptocurrencies, so we’re not breaching any laws or legal guidelines,” the CEO mentioned. He added:
“We received concerned in crypto as a result of Hong Kong laws permit us to do this. Nevertheless it’s on no account any indication of the China authorities’s angle or coverage, or change of coverage.”
China has maintained its anti-crypto stance for a very long time, even earlier than banning crypto solely in September 2021, Zhou famous. He mentioned that he doesn’t count on the native authorities to vary its crypto insurance policies within the foreseeable future.
The CEO isn’t alone in considering that China stays and can stay anti-crypto whereas attempting to beef up Chinese language financial institution deposits with crypto accounts.
“Provided that the Chinese language authorities is coming down exhausting on the monetary sector, it’s exhausting to think about that China is loosening its management over the power for Chinese language nationals to make use of crypto,” Lesperance & Associates founder David Lesperance advised Cointelegraph.
Associated: Hong Kong court docket guidelines cryptocurrencies as property
In line with Lesperance, China desires to extend its overseas forex deposits, whether or not that’s fiat to buy crypto or crypto itself. “They’re bifurcating the markets to close out home Chinese language prospects however attracting overseas prospects,” he famous.
The lawyer additionally famous that the crypto market in mainland China is “nonetheless successfully shut down.” That raises enforcement considerations about Chinese language purchasers getting an opportunity to make use of Hong Kong exchanges to get cash out of China. “Actually, the authorities will attempt to cease this leakage,” Lesperance famous.
CPIC’s Zhou additionally talked about that crypto exchanges in Hong Kong have strict Know Your Buyer insurance policies, which intention to limit mainland Chinese language traders on their platforms.
“I don’t count on any licensed crypto exchanges in Hong Kong to just accept onshore mainland residents to commerce within the exchanges,” Zhou acknowledged.
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