Hong Kong to Delay Stablecoin Audit Guidelines for One to Three Years
- Antwan Koss
- September 15, 2025
- Finance
- 0 Comments
It seems Hong Kong is taking its time with stablecoin regulations. And honestly, that might not be such a bad thing.
Sun Deji, who chairs the Accounting and Financial Reporting Council, recently suggested that the government won’t be rushing out detailed audit guidelines for stablecoins anytime soon. In fact, he thinks it could be a year—maybe even three—before we see anything comprehensive.
Why the wait?
Sun’s reasoning is pretty straightforward. He believes the stablecoin sector is still too young. Pushing through a full set of rigid auditing rules right now could, in his words, “kill the industry in a matter of minutes.” It’s a fair point. Sometimes slower is smarter.
This cautious approach aligns with how Hong Kong has handled licensing so far. Demand is clearly high—dozens of firms, especially from mainland China, are apparently eager to get their hands on a stablecoin issuer license. But the Hong Kong Monetary Authority has been selective, approving only a few.
It feels like they’re trying to balance opportunity with oversight. And maybe that’s the right call.
A surge of interest—and caution
Since the Stablecoin Ordinance came into effect on August 1, interest has definitely picked up. We’ve seen companies like the Hong Kong units of China National Petroleum Corporation and big banks like ICBC and Bank of China express interest. Sometimes just the rumor of an application is enough to bump a company’s stock price.
But regulators are warning people to be careful. With new opportunities come new risks—fraud and market volatility don’t exactly disappear just because a new law is in place.
Still, Sun remains optimistic. He thinks the growth of stablecoins could actually bring more young professionals into accounting and finance. It’s a new field, after all. It needs new talent.
Looking ahead
So where does that leave us? Probably in a holding pattern for a while. The government isn’t ignoring stablecoins—far from it. But they’re also not diving in headfirst without checking the depth of the water.
It might be frustrating for some companies waiting for clarity. But in the long run, a well-considered framework could benefit everyone. Even if we have to wait a year or three to see it.
