Hong Kong regulator eyes tokenization for bond market improvement: Report

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The Hong Kong Financial Authority (HKMA) launched a report on Aug. 25 detailing the findings of its Undertaking Evergreen research, which analyzed the market influence of bond tokenization. 

In a 24-page overview, the Hong Kong regulator laid out use instances, advantages and any challenges confronted in the course of the research. The concluding sentiment was that tokenization gives enchancment for the bond market.

Eddie Yue, the chief govt of the HKMA, mentioned the research highlighted the potential of deploying distributed ledger expertise (DLT) to actual capital market transactions with the present authorized framework current in Hong Kong.

“It additionally confirmed the potential in DLT to boost effectivity, liquidity and transparency in bond markets.”

A few of the major efficiencies of bond tokenization revealed by means of the research have been the power to go paperless and eradicate the necessity for a bodily world certificates (saving each hours and errors), the power to work together between varied events on a typical DLT platform and enhanced transparency by means of real-time knowledge synchronization.

Moreover, it permits for atomic delivery-versus-payment settlements for bond transfers and encourages end-to-end DLT adoption.

Associated: HashKey to begin Bitcoin and Ether retail buying and selling in Hong Kong from Aug. 28

Yue additionally identified the shortcomings of the experiment, saying that the tokenization of bonds remains to be in its “infancy.” He mentioned previous to mass adoption, many challenges must be overcome.

“As extra monetary establishments give you their very own tokenization options,” he mentioned, “it is going to be essential to think about how completely different options can join and work together with one another in addition to typical techniques to keep away from fragmentation.”

“Current authorized and regulatory regimes may additionally should be fine-tuned to maintain up with — and facilitate — expertise adoption.”

The report comes as Hong Kong has been progressively shifting towards positioning itself as a hub for crypto and decentralized finance exercise. A whole lot of companies have reportedly been lining up for a Hong Kong crypto license.

On July 27, Hong Kong introduced it was collaborating with Saudi Arabia on tokens and funds.

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