07-13-2023, 01:21 PM
OKX Scoops 10,000 Users in One Month after Hong Kong Legalized Crypto
<p class="MsoNormal">After Hong
Kong introduced the new virtual asset service providers (VASPs) regime, many
companies have decided to enter the local market in a bid to exploit its
potential. OKX was one of them, introducing a version of the mobile app aimed
at customers from China’s special administrative region. Now, the crypto
<a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/terms/e/exchange/" class="terms__main-term" id="b5da6e64-2afe-421d-9b81-16404b7d59d6">exchange</a> has announced over 10,000 new Hong Kong user registrations in just a
month since launching its enhanced app.</p><p>OKX Builds User Base in
Hong Kong</p><p class="MsoNormal">Over the
past 18 months, OKX has been investing in talent acquisition and infrastructure
in anticipation of its license application under Hong Kong's VASPs regime. This
massive influx of new users shows that the retail crypto industry has huge
potential, which has been unlocked by favorable regulatory changes. Hong Kong
openly admits that it wants to become a new hub for digital assets.</p><p class="MsoNormal">OKX
established its Hong Kong entity (OKX Hong Kong) <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/okx-becomes-another-crypto-exchange-to-start-hk-branch/" target="_blank" rel="follow">in March 2023</a> with the aim of
acquiring the VASP license and operating as a virtual asset trading platform in
the city. Presently, the enhanced OKX app enables Hong Kong users to buy, sell,
and hold 16 major digital assets.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">? Great news for Hong Kong users ?? The enhanced <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OKX?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OKX</a> app allows you to buy, sell and hold 16 major cryptocurrencies - with the city's highest standards for security, technology and risk controls.Learn more? <a href="https://t.co/ZNvdk9Fir0">https://t.co/ZNvdk9Fir0</a></p>— OKX (@okx) <a href="https://twitter.com/okx/status/1661518442128633856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2023</a></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal">"We're
very encouraged to see such a positive response to OKX Hong Kong. Our sign-up
metrics demonstrate strong local interest and immense market potential in a
regulated environment,” Lennix Lai, the Global Chief Commercial Officer at OKX.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Lai
stressed the high level of sophistication displayed by Hong Kong traders in
selecting digital asset platforms. In the future, OKX aims to introduce a range
of new products and experiences specifically tailored for local users, while
adhering to regulatory guidelines.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Although OKX
is the first cryptocurrency exchange to discuss its results in the local
market, it is not the only one that has decided to claim a piece of this new
crypto opportunity. </p><p>Hong Kong Opens Up to
Cryptocurrency Companies</p><p class="MsoNormal">Hong Kong
rolled out new rules to guide the cryptocurrency industry in the Chinese
special administrative region <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/hong-kongs-new-crypto-regime-kicks-in/" target="_blank" rel="follow">on 1 June 2023</a>. Crypto exchanges operating in the
jurisdiction are now required to get licensed to offer their services to retail
traders. In reality, this move legalized cryptocurrency trading among
individual investors, which is a significant group that trading companies previously had
no access to. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Initial
reports that Hong Kong would allow retail traders to trade crypto emerged as
early as <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/hong-kong-set-to-legalize-crypto/" target="_blank" rel="follow">October 2022</a>. Christian Hui, the Secretary for Financial Services and
the Treasury in Hong Kong, <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/hong-kong-to-start-regulating-crypto-in-june-2023-80-companies-wants-to-join/" target="_blank" rel="follow">revealed in March 2023</a> that since October more than
80 foreign and Mainland China crypto companies had expressed interest in
establishing a branch in Hong Kong and obtaining local licenses. </p><p class="MsoNormal">"As of
the end of February 2023, Invest Hong Kong has received expressions of interest
from over 80 virtual asset-related Mainland and foreign companies in
establishing their presence in Hong Kong," Hui commented.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Christopher Hui, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, delivers the opening keynote and reinforces HK government’s vision to develop the virtual asset sector in Hong Kong.He mentions Web 3 presents a paradigm shift to the internet era. <a href="https://t.co/9MGkWOCj0O">pic.twitter.com/9MGkWOCj0O</a></p>— Everest Ventures Group (EVG) (@EVG_Ventures) <a href="https://twitter.com/EVG_Ventures/status/1637632164601942016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2023</a></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal">Among them
were <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/gateio-crypto-exchange-confirms-its-sfc-license-application/" target="_blank" rel="follow">Gate.io</a>, <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/huobi-to-launch-huobi-hong-kong-crypto-exchange-amid-regulatory-update/" target="_blank" rel="follow">Huobi</a>, and <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/coinex-targets-hong-kong-users-with-new-crypto-trading-service/" target="_blank" rel="follow">CoinEX</a>. Also appearing in the market in February was Interactive
Brokers, intending to offer cryptocurrency services of its own. What's more, Hong Kong’s central bank <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/hong-kong-reportedly-pushing-top-banks-to-support-crypto-firms/" target="_blank" rel="follow">is reportedly pushing</a> HSBC, Standard Chartered, and the Bank of China, to accept cryptocurrency companies as clients.</p><p class="MsoNormal">In the
meantime, as Hong Kong opens up to <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/terms/c/cryptocurrencies/" class="terms__secondary-term" id="b091101e-6e02-4b36-aa0e-7c972dfdd6ed">cryptocurrencies</a>, Western jurisdictions
appear to be taking the opposite direction. The United States has declared <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/sec-lawsuit-heats-up-the-war-between-binance-and-the-us/" target="_blank" rel="follow">open
war on digital assets</a>. In Europe, <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/binance-shrinks-eu-presence-exits-netherlands-after-cyprus/" target="_blank" rel="follow">the moves made by Binance</a> suggest that the
regulatory environment could begin to worsen.</p>
This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.
https://www.financemagnates.com//cryptoc...ed-crypto/
<p class="MsoNormal">After Hong
Kong introduced the new virtual asset service providers (VASPs) regime, many
companies have decided to enter the local market in a bid to exploit its
potential. OKX was one of them, introducing a version of the mobile app aimed
at customers from China’s special administrative region. Now, the crypto
<a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/terms/e/exchange/" class="terms__main-term" id="b5da6e64-2afe-421d-9b81-16404b7d59d6">exchange</a> has announced over 10,000 new Hong Kong user registrations in just a
month since launching its enhanced app.</p><p>OKX Builds User Base in
Hong Kong</p><p class="MsoNormal">Over the
past 18 months, OKX has been investing in talent acquisition and infrastructure
in anticipation of its license application under Hong Kong's VASPs regime. This
massive influx of new users shows that the retail crypto industry has huge
potential, which has been unlocked by favorable regulatory changes. Hong Kong
openly admits that it wants to become a new hub for digital assets.</p><p class="MsoNormal">OKX
established its Hong Kong entity (OKX Hong Kong) <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/okx-becomes-another-crypto-exchange-to-start-hk-branch/" target="_blank" rel="follow">in March 2023</a> with the aim of
acquiring the VASP license and operating as a virtual asset trading platform in
the city. Presently, the enhanced OKX app enables Hong Kong users to buy, sell,
and hold 16 major digital assets.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">? Great news for Hong Kong users ?? The enhanced <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OKX?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OKX</a> app allows you to buy, sell and hold 16 major cryptocurrencies - with the city's highest standards for security, technology and risk controls.Learn more? <a href="https://t.co/ZNvdk9Fir0">https://t.co/ZNvdk9Fir0</a></p>— OKX (@okx) <a href="https://twitter.com/okx/status/1661518442128633856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2023</a></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal">"We're
very encouraged to see such a positive response to OKX Hong Kong. Our sign-up
metrics demonstrate strong local interest and immense market potential in a
regulated environment,” Lennix Lai, the Global Chief Commercial Officer at OKX.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Lai
stressed the high level of sophistication displayed by Hong Kong traders in
selecting digital asset platforms. In the future, OKX aims to introduce a range
of new products and experiences specifically tailored for local users, while
adhering to regulatory guidelines.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Although OKX
is the first cryptocurrency exchange to discuss its results in the local
market, it is not the only one that has decided to claim a piece of this new
crypto opportunity. </p><p>Hong Kong Opens Up to
Cryptocurrency Companies</p><p class="MsoNormal">Hong Kong
rolled out new rules to guide the cryptocurrency industry in the Chinese
special administrative region <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/hong-kongs-new-crypto-regime-kicks-in/" target="_blank" rel="follow">on 1 June 2023</a>. Crypto exchanges operating in the
jurisdiction are now required to get licensed to offer their services to retail
traders. In reality, this move legalized cryptocurrency trading among
individual investors, which is a significant group that trading companies previously had
no access to. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Initial
reports that Hong Kong would allow retail traders to trade crypto emerged as
early as <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/hong-kong-set-to-legalize-crypto/" target="_blank" rel="follow">October 2022</a>. Christian Hui, the Secretary for Financial Services and
the Treasury in Hong Kong, <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/hong-kong-to-start-regulating-crypto-in-june-2023-80-companies-wants-to-join/" target="_blank" rel="follow">revealed in March 2023</a> that since October more than
80 foreign and Mainland China crypto companies had expressed interest in
establishing a branch in Hong Kong and obtaining local licenses. </p><p class="MsoNormal">"As of
the end of February 2023, Invest Hong Kong has received expressions of interest
from over 80 virtual asset-related Mainland and foreign companies in
establishing their presence in Hong Kong," Hui commented.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Christopher Hui, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, delivers the opening keynote and reinforces HK government’s vision to develop the virtual asset sector in Hong Kong.He mentions Web 3 presents a paradigm shift to the internet era. <a href="https://t.co/9MGkWOCj0O">pic.twitter.com/9MGkWOCj0O</a></p>— Everest Ventures Group (EVG) (@EVG_Ventures) <a href="https://twitter.com/EVG_Ventures/status/1637632164601942016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2023</a></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal">Among them
were <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/gateio-crypto-exchange-confirms-its-sfc-license-application/" target="_blank" rel="follow">Gate.io</a>, <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/huobi-to-launch-huobi-hong-kong-crypto-exchange-amid-regulatory-update/" target="_blank" rel="follow">Huobi</a>, and <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/coinex-targets-hong-kong-users-with-new-crypto-trading-service/" target="_blank" rel="follow">CoinEX</a>. Also appearing in the market in February was Interactive
Brokers, intending to offer cryptocurrency services of its own. What's more, Hong Kong’s central bank <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/hong-kong-reportedly-pushing-top-banks-to-support-crypto-firms/" target="_blank" rel="follow">is reportedly pushing</a> HSBC, Standard Chartered, and the Bank of China, to accept cryptocurrency companies as clients.</p><p class="MsoNormal">In the
meantime, as Hong Kong opens up to <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/terms/c/cryptocurrencies/" class="terms__secondary-term" id="b091101e-6e02-4b36-aa0e-7c972dfdd6ed">cryptocurrencies</a>, Western jurisdictions
appear to be taking the opposite direction. The United States has declared <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/sec-lawsuit-heats-up-the-war-between-binance-and-the-us/" target="_blank" rel="follow">open
war on digital assets</a>. In Europe, <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/binance-shrinks-eu-presence-exits-netherlands-after-cyprus/" target="_blank" rel="follow">the moves made by Binance</a> suggest that the
regulatory environment could begin to worsen.</p>
This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.
https://www.financemagnates.com//cryptoc...ed-crypto/