Hong Kong has two licensed stablecoin issuers. Their retail plans are taking different paths

Hong Kong’s first two licensed issuers are no longer waiting to launch. HSBC began rolling out RedCoin through PayMe on October 23, while Anchorpoint’s HKDAP has been in a restricted institutional phase since August. Their next challenge is getting regulated Hong Kong dollar tokens into ordinary payments without losing control of who can hold and redeem them.

Summary

• The HKMA register lists only HSBC and Anchorpoint as licensed stablecoin issuers, both effective April 10, 2026.
• HSBC is rolling out RedCoin in stages through PayMe, an app with more than 3.3 million users; that audience is not the number of active stablecoin holders.
• Anchorpoint’s HKDAP remains in beta for selected distributors and institutional or corporate users, with no confirmed retail launch date.
• HSBC reported HK80.58millioninRedCoincirculationandHK81.58 million in reserves on October 23, while Anchorpoint reported HK6.11millioncirculatingandHK7.21 million in reserves as of October 21.
• Both companies promise Hong Kong dollar redemption, but a licensed issuer, an approved distributor and a payment app play different roles when a customer actually tries to use a coin.

A PayMe customer may see RedCoin inside a familiar payment app and never need to learn how to copy a blockchain address. An HKDAP user in the present phase goes through an authorised distributor, meets institutional eligibility rules and uses verified wallets. The two routes can eventually serve some of the same merchants and cross-border corridors, but their starting points are far apart.

The HKMA’s public register gives each issuer its own number: Anchorpoint is FRS01 and HSBC is FRS02. A licence lets a firm issue within the city’s regime. It does not certify every token with a similar name, grant every exchange permission to sell it or ensure that every resident can redeem directly. The first months of operation will show how the legal promise of one Hong Kong dollar becomes a usable payment for different kinds of customer.

JUST IN: HSBC names its upcoming HKD stablecoin HSBC RedCoin

The Hong Kong bank plans to launch the stablecoin in the second half of 2026 through PayMe and the HSBC HK app. pic.twitter.com/8KW0gdSbkc

— crypto.news (@cryptodotnews) September 30, 2026

HSBC starts where the customers already are

HSBC chose PayMe and its Hong Kong mobile banking app as the initial RedCoin channels. The October 23 launch coverage described a staged rollout to PayMe’s more than 3.3 million users, with person-to-person transfers and payments to participating merchants. Customers can activate a RedCoin wallet without opening a separate account or maintaining a minimum balance, according to the report. “3.3 million users” is the reach of the existing app, not a disclosure that all those people have turned on a wallet or received coins.

The strategy reduces the work a customer must do to begin. The merchant already accepts PayMe, and the customer already knows the payment screen. HSBC can manage identity, customer support and controls inside a bank-operated product. Yet the same convenience means the experience is largely defined by the app. Whether a holder can send RedCoin to an external wallet, use another provider’s checkout or transfer it abroad depends on the product’s actual rules and later integrations, not merely the word stablecoin.

The reported launch balances also need context. HSBC disclosed HK80.58millionincirculatingRedCoinagainstHK81.58 million in reserves as of October 23, according to its figures carried in launch coverage. Dividing the reserve figure by circulation gives about 101.2% at that date. It does not describe the number of holders, how much people paid merchants, whether the same units turned over many times, or the composition of every reserve holding. Those are different measurements of adoption and protection.

HSBC has said tokenised money market fund subscriptions starting at HK$100 are planned before year-end. The plan would give RedCoin another use beyond payments if it launches with specified investor protections and a workable redemption path. A proposed minimum is not proof that the fund is already available. The first useful disclosure will identify the fund, the eligibility rules and whether a buyer can return to Hong Kong dollars without delays or unexpected costs.

The bank had named RedCoin in September and said payments would come first. The October rollout therefore answers one of the early questions, whether a named product would reach customers at all. It leaves a more interesting one for the coming weeks: how often will a customer prefer a coin-based payment to the ordinary PayMe balance they already know? App operators can hide considerable complexity, which may be good for the user, but it makes adoption difficult to judge from a registration count. A dated disclosure of completed RedCoin payments would say more than the total number of PayMe downloads.

Anchorpoint builds a network before opening the door

Anchorpoint was first to place its coin into limited circulation. The Standard Chartered, Animoca Brands and HKT venture began HKDAP beta in August with selected distributors and professional investors. The design aims at payments, conversion between HKDAP and fiat, and settlement of tokenised assets. HashKey Exchange was an early distributor and completed a mint and redemption transaction during the initial rollout.

Anchorpoint’s transparency page calls the current period Beta Access and says only selected authorised distributors and their institutional or corporate users can participate. Its weekly figures as of October 21 put circulation at HK6,106,921,reservesatHK7,210,961 and cumulative transaction volume at HK35,099,666.ItrecordedHK8,750,323 issued and HK$3,650,392 redeemed over the preceding 30 days. Each figure measures something different: circulation is outstanding tokens, while volume counts transactions and can exceed the amount outstanding many times.

The approximately HK$1.10 million gap between reserves and circulation on that date is a snapshot, not a promise of the same margin every week. Anchorpoint’s disclosure says it will provide more detailed reserve information and audited attestations at full launch. The present weekly statements are useful for observing activity, though investors still need to examine reserve quality, custody and redemption terms. A large transaction total on its own would not reveal whether individuals can use the coin at a shop.

The October 26 account of Anchorpoint’s plans says chief executive Dominic Maffei would not commit to a retail launch date after earlier suggesting the end of 2026. His reasoning was practical: distributors, customer education and the surrounding infrastructure need to be ready. A public blockchain product open to individuals faces different demands from a beta in which a few verified institutions know how to manage private keys and reconciliation.

One licence, two distribution models

Hong Kong’s stablecoin regulatory regime began under the Stablecoins Ordinance in August 2025. The licence belongs to the issuer. A wallet provider, distributor, merchant platform and bank can each have a role without becoming the issuer of the coin. Customers who encounter the token through an app may depend on the app operator for access even while the issuer owes the redemption obligation set out in the token’s terms.

HSBC is both the issuer and the operator of the established retail channels used at launch. That arrangement can simplify the customer relationship. If a payment fails, users know which app they opened, although they still need to understand whether the problem belongs to the payment service, the token account or the merchant. Anchorpoint instead works through authorised distributors, which can offer wallet access, conversion and applications to different clients. More partners may broaden reach, but they also introduce handoffs when a customer needs support or redemption.

Anchorpoint’s HKDAP whitepaper describes a token with a HK$1 par value on supported blockchains and reserves held on trust for holders. It states that genuine HKDAP exists only at official contracts and warns of impostor tokens. It also describes redemption into a source bank account, with tokens reminted and returned to the source wallet if a fiat withdrawal fails. These procedures make sense for verified customers; they also show why a token transfer and receiving bank money are distinct steps.

The public blockchain part does not necessarily mean permissionless use. The October 26 reporting says HKDAP’s institutional beta operates on Ethereum and transfers to unverified addresses are rejected. This allows the issuer to use shared network infrastructure while controlling which counterparties can receive its regulated liability. A customer outside the approved group cannot simply download a wallet and treat any token carrying the ticker as redeemable HKDAP.

Redemption is where a peg becomes a promise

A Hong Kong dollar stablecoin is supposed to hold a one-to-one value. An issuer’s reserve and redemption arrangements give that claim practical meaning. If someone pays less than HK1foragenuinecoin,aneligibleholderwithreliableaccesstoredemptionmaybuyandredeemitforHK1, after accounting for fees and timing. A person who cannot redeem directly may have to rely on a distributor’s price and liquidity instead.

That is why the route to cash matters as much as the ledger used for a payment. How long does redemption take? Who checks identity? Which bank account receives the money? What happens on a weekend or if the receiving bank rejects the transfer? The whitepaper offers a process for HKDAP, while the HSBC app product offers its own user experience. Actual service terms and completed withdrawals will provide a better measure of the promise than a headline about fast settlement.

Reserve figures are necessary but incomplete. HSBC’s October 23 balance and Anchorpoint’s October 21 balance were taken on different dates, at different stages of rollout. Comparing HK80.58millionwithHK6.11 million tells us HSBC has far more units outstanding at those snapshots. It cannot isolate customer preference, because HSBC started with a mass retail app and Anchorpoint deliberately limited beta access. Even the same reserve percentage would not tell us whether holders faced the same redemption process or fees.

The treatment of a merchant is another question. A shop accepting an app payment wants Hong Kong dollars in its settlement account, a stablecoin balance it can spend or an option to choose between them. Each choice changes who bears the work of conversion and when the shop receives final value. Published launch material establishes initial person-to-merchant payments for RedCoin and proposed commercial uses for HKDAP; it does not publish a comprehensive comparison of merchant pricing or chargeback rules.

Public chains raise another access question

Anchorpoint’s public-chain strategy is intended to reach partners that can build payments and tokenised asset settlement across systems. Its whitepaper says HKDAP can operate on supported blockchains, but users should verify the official contract for each one. A token that shares its name or symbol is easy to create elsewhere. Earlier in April, the HKMA warned about counterfeit names before either genuine product had reached the market. The warning remains relevant now that authentic tokens circulate, though the old assertion that no tokens existed at the time must not be repeated as a current fact.

A public chain can make transfers visible and potentially allow businesses to integrate a shared payment asset. Verified-holder controls can still limit the pool of users. More distributors can solve some of the access problem if they perform checks and make redemptions available to their own customers. They can also create a fragmented experience if one partner supports only certain wallets, chains or jurisdictions.

HSBC’s app-led model avoids asking most users to assess a smart contract address, but it puts interoperability in the hands of the bank and its chosen partners. A customer may receive an instant payment inside PayMe without being able to move the coin through the broader crypto market. Neither approach is inherently the winner. The relevant evidence is whether people can pay useful counterparties, whether merchants receive money on acceptable terms and whether holders can redeem at par when they want to leave.

Cross-border payments need a destination

Anchorpoint has made cross-border use a priority. A Hong Kong dollar token may move between approved wallets at any hour, including when banks in two countries are closed. The recipient still needs a reason to hold HKD or an affordable route to local currency. Foreign-exchange conversion, local rules and access to a licensed cash-out partner can outweigh the speed of the blockchain leg.

An institutional transfer between two participants who already have accounts and legal agreements is a useful starting point. Retail remittances involve smaller sums, customer protection and a larger variety of endpoints. If Anchorpoint expands by the end of 2026, the useful announcement will name the distributors, eligible regions, conversion rates and withdrawal process. A prospective launch date alone would tell customers very little about whether they can actually receive spendable money.

The issuer’s initial network also shows why the “open” description needs detail. A distributor might bring an exchange’s clients, another might serve corporate treasuries and a third might operate a consumer payment app. Their customers have different permissions and support arrangements even though all three could ultimately transfer the same HKDAP token. An unverified person on the other side of a border may be unable to receive it at all. To make the cross-border promise concrete, Anchorpoint must show an approved sender, an approved recipient and a way to spend or cash out at the destination.

For HSBC, the immediate test is closer to home. PayMe’s existing merchants offer a potential destination for the coin, and the bank can observe whether customers activate the wallet and use it for transactions rather than simply hold the balance. Disclosure of active wallets, payments, average transaction sizes and redemptions would make the 3.3 million potential user figure more informative. Without those data, a large installed app audience is an opportunity, not a measure of stablecoin adoption.

JUST IN: HSBC rolls out Hong Kong dollar-backed stablecoin RedCoin to PayMe users

The rollout will bring the bank’s digital currency to more than 3.3 million PayMe users. pic.twitter.com/0qQ4IHtzwm

— crypto.news (@cryptodotnews) October 23, 2026

The first numbers are a starting point

The two issuers received their licences on the same date, yet they have chosen different first customers and different paths to scale. HSBC has the stronger initial retail channel and larger reported circulation. Anchorpoint has tested issuance, redemption and transactions with distributors while keeping retail access pending. Both can claim a live regulated Hong Kong dollar token; neither has yet published enough comparable operating data to establish the superior everyday payment network.

The market could evolve quickly if HSBC broadens token use beyond PayMe or Anchorpoint adds retailers and cross-border cash-out partners. It could also remain a set of useful but separate systems. A token’s legal backing and an app’s customer base solve different problems. Hong Kong now has to see whether both can come together in a payment that a person can initiate, receive and redeem without wondering which part of the network will accept it.

What to watch

• Active users: Look for RedCoin wallet activations and completed payments rather than treating all PayMe customers as token users.
• Retail access: Check whether Anchorpoint names a firm launch date, approved distributors and eligible jurisdictions for individuals.
• Reserves and redemptions: Follow dated circulation, reserve composition and completed cash withdrawals from each issuer.
• Merchant use: Compare participating merchants, settlement options and costs for genuine purchases, not just token transfer volume.
• Interoperability: Watch whether customers can move coins among approved wallets and payment providers or only within each issuer’s initial channel.

FAQ

How many stablecoin issuers are licensed in Hong Kong?

The HKMA register listed two on October 26, 2026: Anchorpoint Financial and HSBC, both licensed effective April 10.

Can all 3.3 million PayMe users use RedCoin now?

HSBC began a phased rollout to an app with that audience. It has not disclosed that every user activated a wallet or holds RedCoin.

Is HKDAP already available to retail customers?

Anchorpoint says its current beta is limited to selected distributors and institutional or corporate users. It has not confirmed a retail launch date.

What are the outstanding balances?

HSBC reported HK80.58millioncirculatingonOctober23.Anchorpoint’sOctober21transparencystatementshowedHK6.11 million. The dates and customer groups differ.

Are the two coins backed by Hong Kong dollars?

Both are designed to maintain HK$1 per unit with eligible reserve assets under the city’s rules. Holders should consult the issuer’s dated reserve and redemption disclosures.

Can anyone transfer HKDAP on Ethereum?

No. Anchorpoint’s institutional beta requires verified counterparties, and its controls reject transfers to unverified addresses according to the current reporting.

Does a licence protect someone who buys a lookalike token?

No. Customers must check the issuer and official contract or app. The HKMA warned about counterfeit tokens using licensed firms’ names.

Which issuer will win retail payments?

The present disclosures do not settle that question. Adoption will depend on actual access, merchant acceptance, redemption, costs and useful cross-border destinations. This is educational analysis, not investment advice.

Disclaimer: This article is for information and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Figures reflect regulatory filings and reporting available at the time of writing and change with each disclosure. Nothing here is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security or asset. Always do your own research. Information is accurate as of October 26, 2026.