Financial powerhouses Standard Chartered, Animoca Brands, and HKT partner in a new venture to focus on stablecoin development.
In a significant move for Hong Kong's fintech and digital asset landscape, the joint venture between Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong), Animoca Brands, and HKT, named Anchorpoint Financial, has officially launched to develop a Hong Kong dollar (HKD)-backed stablecoin. The venture has submitted its licensing application to the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) under Hong Kong’s newly established stablecoin regulatory framework on August 1, 2025.
The stablecoin project, designed to operate under the HKMA’s licensing regime, aims to enhance both cross-border and domestic payment systems by combining Standard Chartered’s banking infrastructure and regulatory experience, Animoca Brands’ expertise in Web3 innovation, and HKT’s mobile wallet capabilities.
This initiative supports Hong Kong’s broader goal of becoming a leading global Web3 and digital asset hub through clear regulation and compliance-driven stablecoin adoption. The HKMA is expected to award the first stablecoin issuer licenses in early 2026, marking the start of broader market operations and potential expansion in payment and settlement applications.
Anchorpoint Financial’s stablecoin is positioned as a critical infrastructure element in Hong Kong’s evolving fintech and digital asset ecosystem, aiming to enable mainstream adoption by combining trust from traditional finance with innovation from Web3 and telecom sectors. The venture seeks to streamline cross-border and domestic transactions, boost payments efficiency and security, foster financial inclusion, and provide a regulated and secure digital payment solution supporting blockchain adoption.
Standard Chartered Bank will contribute its experience in working with stablecoin issuers worldwide, offering access to its bank-grade infrastructure and robust governance standards. Animoca Brands, a global leader in the Web3 sector, intends to draw on its deep expertise and broad industry network to help the joint venture explore innovative opportunities. HKT, a prominent player in technology, media, and telecommunications, will apply its mobile wallet capabilities to support the development of practical stablecoin applications.
The partners believe their combined strengths and early involvement in the sandbox place them in a prime position for market entry. They aim to become one of the first licensed issuers of a Hong Kong dollar-backed stablecoin in the market. The joint venture also seeks to reinforce Hong Kong's role as a leading international financial centre, while promoting responsible fintech innovation.
Standard Chartered's leadership expresses confidence in the future of tokenized money, considering it a permanent part of the financial landscape. The current stage of stablecoin adoption is viewed as early, with significant potential for expansion across retail, enterprise, and institutional markets. The joint venture intends to contribute to shaping the future of digital assets in Hong Kong, fostering innovation while maintaining compliance with the highest industry standards.
In summary, Anchorpoint Financial is in the licensing and regulatory approval phase but has firmly established itself as a key player in Hong Kong’s stablecoin scene with ambitious plans to transform payment systems and anchor Hong Kong’s fintech growth. The licensing regime introduced by the HKMA is seen as an opportunity for Hong Kong to position itself as a global Web3 hub, fostering safe and compliant industry growth.
- This stablecoin project, being developed by Anchorpoint Financial, targets to revolutionize cross-border and domestic payment systems by integrating traditional banking infrastructure, Web3 innovation, and telecom industry capabilities.
- The joint venture between Standard Chartered Bank, Animoca Brands, and HKT seeks to streamline transactions, boost payment efficiency, and foster financial inclusion in Hong Kong by introducing a regulated and secure digital payment solution supporting blockchain adoption.
