Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has introduced new measures permitting licensed virtual asset trading platforms and brokers to offer margin financing and structured perpetual contract products.
Key Takeaways
The SFC now allows licensed platforms to offer margin financing and perpetual contracts under regulated conditions.
Access to leveraged products is restricted to professional investors.
The framework emphasizes risk controls, market integrity, and alignment with traditional financial regulation principles.
The move represents a calibrated expansion of regulated leverage within the city’s digital asset framework. At a market level, the development signals Hong Kong’s continued effort to formalize crypto derivatives under supervisory oversight while maintaining investor protection standards.
Expansion of Regulated Leverage Products
The newly introduced framework enables licensed brokers to provide margin financing to eligible clients for cryptocurrency trading. Loans must be backed by high-quality collateral, initially limited to major assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, and are subject to conservative haircuts, concentration limits, and credit assessments. The structure builds on existing securities margin governance standards, adapting them to virtual assets.
SFC ('HK SEC') CEO Julia Leung just announced 3 new measures at Consensus HK:
1. Margin financing for crypto (BTC/ETH initially, TradFi-grade haircuts)
2. Perpetual contracts framework (pro investors only)
3. Affiliated market makers can provide liquidity on licensed platforms
HK…— Da Hongfei (@dahongfei) February 11, 2026
In parallel, the regulator has outlined a principles-based approach for licensed platforms seeking to offer perpetual contracts. Rather than prescribing fixed product templates, the SFC requires robust internal controls, transparent risk disclosures, and effective monitoring systems designed to mitigate excessive leverage and systemic exposure.
Professional Investor Restriction and Safeguards
Both margin financing and perpetual trading will be limited to professional investors, excluding retail participants. The restriction reflects the regulator’s emphasis on suitability assessments and investor protection, particularly in higher-risk leveraged environments.
Licensed platforms may also permit affiliated entities to act as market makers to enhance liquidity. However, strict operational separation, conflict-of-interest controls, and transparency requirements apply. These measures are intended to preserve fair pricing, narrow bid-ask spreads, and prevent preferential treatment within trading venues.
Policy Rationale and Strategic Direction
SFC leadership framed the initiative as part of a broader roadmap to deepen Hong Kong’s digital asset markets. The approach seeks to balance innovation with financial stability by applying a “same risk, same regulation” principle commonly used in traditional finance. The regulator described the expansion as supporting responsible leverage while strengthening market structure.
The measures also align with parallel regulatory initiatives, including forthcoming stablecoin licensing regimes and expanded oversight for virtual asset advisory services. Together, these efforts signal an attempt to create an integrated regulatory environment that accommodates institutional participation without relaxing supervisory standards.
Market Structure Implications
By formalizing leveraged crypto products under a regulated umbrella, Hong Kong may enhance liquidity and price discovery within its digital asset ecosystem. Structured perpetual trading could improve capital efficiency for professional participants, while margin financing frameworks introduce clearer collateral and risk management practices.
At the same time, restricting access to professional investors limits retail exposure to volatility and leverage-related losses. The framework reflects a cautious expansion rather than an open liberalization of crypto derivatives trading.
Positioning Within the Global Regulatory Landscape
The initiative fits within Hong Kong’s broader strategy to position itself as a regulated digital asset hub in Asia. As jurisdictions globally assess how to supervise crypto derivatives and leverage, Hong Kong’s model combines institutional accessibility with conservative safeguards.
No specific launch dates for new products have been detailed beyond the framework’s introduction. Ongoing supervision and implementation guidelines are expected to shape how platforms operationalize the new permissions in practice.
The development underscores a broader structural trend: crypto market infrastructure is increasingly moving toward regulated derivatives environments that resemble traditional financial systems in governance, while retaining digital asset-specific innovation.
