The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) of Hong Kong published today several lists of virtual asset trading platforms (VATPs) on its website as part of its efforts to disseminate information on VATPs in a clear, transparent and timely manner.

These lists include:

• “List of licensed virtual asset trading platforms” (List of licensed VATPs), which sets out the names of VATP operators formally licensed by the SFC;
• Starting from today, a “List of virtual asset trading platform applicants” (List of VATP applicants), which sets out the names of VATP operator applicants (VATP applicants) whose licence applications have yet to be approved by the SFC; this list is accompanied by a “List of applicants whose licence applications have been returned, refused or withdrawn” (List of removed VATP applicants), which sets out the names removed from the List of VATP applicants as their licence applications have been returned, refused or withdrawn;
• “List of closing-down virtual asset trading platforms” (List of closing-down VATPs), which sets out the names of VATP operators required by law to close down within a specified period; and
• “List of virtual asset trading platforms which are deemed to be licensed” (List of deemed licensed VATPs), which sets out the names of VATP operators deemed to be licensed as of 1 June 2024.

The SFC also issued today a dedicated list of suspicious VATPs on its website to help investors more easily identify suspicious VATPs doing business in Hong Kong and enhance awareness.

In particular, investors are reminded that all entities on the List of VATP applicants are not licensed by the SFC and may not be compliant with the SFC’s requirements. This list is issued to facilitate the public’s determination of whether a VATP has misrepresented its licence application status (eg, claiming that it has applied for a licence when in fact it has not).

VATPs planning to apply for a licence with the SFC are reminded to submit fully completed applications with all the necessary information and documents, including external assessment reports. Substandard applications would be returned by the SFC and the name of the relevant VATP applicant would be removed from the List of VATP applicants and added to the List of removed VATP applicants.