Hong Kong Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau: Currently exploring arrangements and feasibility for upgrading the digital currency wallet to increase usage limits and expand application scenarios

The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of Hong Kong, Xu Zhengyu, introduced the development of stablecoins and digital renminbi in Hong Kong, stating:

The People's Bank of China and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority are working closely together to optimize the arrangements for digital renminbi. Currently, the number of mainland operating institutions responsible for operating digital wallets has increased from four to five, while the number of local Hong Kong banks participating in the "Faster Payment System" for digital wallets has increased from 17 to 18. The number and usage of digital wallets opened with Hong Kong mobile numbers have shown stable growth.

According to the People's Bank of China, as of the end of January 2026, approximately 80,000 digital wallets have been registered. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority and local banks have been actively promoting the application of digital renminbi in Hong Kong. Currently, the number of local merchant retail points accepting digital renminbi has increased from about 300 to approximately 5,200, covering chain retail stores, hotels, travel agencies, restaurants, convenience stores, and supermarkets.

The People's Bank of China and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority are exploring the arrangements and feasibility for upgrading digital wallets to increase their usage limits, expand application scenarios, and enhance user experience. As the policies and technical details involved still require in-depth discussion, specific plans and timelines are yet to be finalized.

Stablecoins and central bank digital currencies (such as digital renminbi), as well as other new payment tools, including tokenized deposits and cross-border connections for rapid payment systems, have the potential to be applied in transaction settlements, local or cross-border payments, and other scenarios, provided they comply with relevant legal and regulatory requirements.

These payment tools each have their own characteristics and varying degrees of maturity, and their future development prospects are largely determined by market forces. The government and financial regulatory agencies will continue to explore the potential and application scenarios of various new payment tools, better leveraging their synergies to address more pain points in the real economy.

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