CMB International Securities has opened a licensed platform for trading digital assets in Hong Kong, offering round-the-clock access to Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), and Tether (USDT) for eligible professional investors.
The launch was announced on August 18, 2025, following mid-July confirmation that Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) had approved its virtual-asset permissions.
Why this matters
Having a brokerage backed by one of China’s largest commercial banks step into licensed crypto trading adds institutional heft to Hong Kong’s market. China Merchants Bank reported roughly $1.72 trillion in total assets as of March 31, 2025, highlighting the group’s scale.
How CMBI fits into Hong Kong’s regulated market
- 24/7 trading via app: Always-on trading for BTC, ETH and USDT through CMBI’s mobile channels.
- PI-only access at launch: Services are limited to professional investors; retail access is not part of the initial rollout.
- SFC oversight: The platform operates within Hong Kong’s virtual-asset trading regime, including licensing and post-licensing requirements.
- Peer landscape: Existing SFC-licensed platforms such as HashKey and OSL show a growing set of compliant venues.
Context: regulation and momentum
Hong Kong has sharpened its rulebook to balance growth with investor protection. A comprehensive stablecoin regime took effect on August 1, 2025, and the SFC has tightened custody standards, including rules for offline key storage and prohibitions on smart-contract logic in cold-wallet implementations.
Bottom line
CMB International’s entry is a milestone for Hong Kong: a major, bank-linked brokerage now offers SFC-supervised crypto trading to professional investors with 24/7 access to BTC, ETH and USDT. It complements the city’s broader regulatory upgrades—stablecoins and custody included—and could encourage more traditional finance players to participate under clear guardrails.
