Hong Kong is moving to finalize its digital asset regulatory framework, with lawmaker Duncan Chiu telling the 2026 Shanghai Blockchain Week that a new licensing bill covering virtual asset trading and custody will go to the Legislative Council in late 2026, targeting passage by early 2027. Chiu said the stalled US CLARITY Act could redound to Hong Kong's advantage as a crypto hub. He added that two licensed stablecoin issuers are currently testing various use cases. The city's regulatory clarity may help it consolidate its position as Asia's premier digital asset center.

Hong Kong's Securities and Futures Commission has flagged Vebit on its suspicious virtual asset trading platform list, citing five related websites. The platform claims to offer spot, futures and futures copy-trading services without holding a license. The SFC warnedVebit is suspected of operating illegally. This action underscores Hong Kong's tightening oversight of unauthorized crypto venues.

Hong Kong Monetary Authority CEO Eddie Yue said the Central Moneymarkets Unit will launch new services by the end of 2026, enabling round-the-clock on-chain real-time settlement. The platform will support digital Hong Kong dollar, central bank digital currencies and eventually tokenized deposits plus regulated stablecoins. The development strengthens Hong Kong's push to modernize its debt-market infrastructure for a tokenized economy. Yue made the remarks at a treasury markets summit.

SoftBank Group has begun marketing a multi-tranche junk bond offering expected to raise more than $11 billion, including a $10 billion dollar tranche and roughly $1.1 billion in euros. The Japanese conglomerate is tapping debt markets to help fund its $65 billion commitment to OpenAI and further AI acquisitions. It ranks among the largest high-yield corporate debt deals ever attempted by a technology investor.

Alibaba will open its first cloud regions in Turkey, Finland and the Netherlands over the next 12 months as part of a global infrastructure push toward 20 gigawatts of capacity. The company also plans to expand existing footprints in Malaysia, Germany, the UAE, France and Hong Kong. The move targets localized AI and cloud services for enterprise clients globally.

Binance's research team revealed at a private event that 93% of early bStocks trading volume consists of fractional shares, with a median trade size of only $18.8. Nearly 80% of early activity came from emerging markets. By the July research window, 62% of bStocks volume occurred outside traditional market hours, suggesting continuous trading is unlocking new demand for tokenized equities.

Bitcoin rallied about 16% over the past week, touching $87,307 on Huobi HTX on Sept. 21 as three forces converged: record US spot ETF inflows of roughly $1 billion in a single day, some $650 million in 24-hour short liquidations, and cooling inflation expectations. The rebound now shows signs of spot buying momentum after initially being driven by passive short covering. Sustainability hinges on whether ETF inflows become a durable trend rather than a single-day spike, and whether leverage stays manageable.

Large traditional asset managers and family offices are re-entering crypto markets with single option-combination trades reaching billions of dollars, according to Deribit's APAC business head Lin Chen. These institutions are primarily using derivatives, especially options structures, to manage exposure after roughly a year on the sidelines. The return of sophisticated institutional flow may signal renewed confidence in the asset class from Asian allocators.

WeChat's security center has intensified enforcement against accounts using "blockchain virtual currency" and "stablecoin" claims to run pyramid schemes and fraud. Scammers lure users with promises of high returns, then push phishing links and fake apps. Violators face group bans, restricted features or full account suspension for organizing recruitment and deceptive course activities.

Speaking remotely at Shanghai Blockchain Week, Vitalik Buterin said Ethereum's next two years of upgrades will fully adopt STARK-based zero-knowledge proofs. Block times could shrink from 12 seconds to 4-8 seconds, with finality improving from 16 minutes to 8-32 seconds. Buterin also highlighted AI's accelerating role in formal verification for complex cryptosystems.