The Law of Digital Assets in Hong Kong (1st Edition)

Editors: Tony Ko, Karen Cheung, Michelle He, Him Ho, Anson Li, Michelle Liu, Sean O'Peilly, Ludovic Shum

ISBN: 9789888933198

Published: August 2026

Format: Paperback

Language: English

Publisher: LexisNexis Hong Kong

Description

This is the first comprehensive legal treatment of digital assets in Hong Kong, a jurisdiction whose regulators have taken an unusually proactive stance on crypto and virtual asset regulation within the People's Republic of China's "One Country, Two Systems" framework. Led by barrister Tony Ko and a team of practitioners drawn from Hong Kong's legal, regulatory and digital-asset sectors, the book takes readers from the foundational taxonomy of digital assets through to the sophisticated regulatory, case-law and cross-border issues that lawyers, compliance officers and financial institutions face when advising in this space.

Key Features

• Clear taxonomy of digital assets — cryptocurrency, NFTs, real-world/tokenized assets, stablecoins and CBDCs — as a foundation for legal analysis
• Practical guidance on obtaining a licence to operate a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) under Hong Kong's regulatory regime
• A dedicated chapter on digital asset liquidation written from the perspective of the liquidator who handled the collapse of Gatecoin, Hong Kong's first crypto exchange failure

Coverage

• Nature and taxonomy of digital assets
• Hong Kong's governing legal and regulatory framework
• Hong Kong case law on digital assets
• Regulation of cryptocurrencies and securities law analysis of digital assets
• Licensing requirements for virtual asset management
• Digital asset liquidation and insolvency practice
• Dispute resolution frameworks for digital asset disputes
• Private international law principles for assets recorded solely on distributed ledgers across multiple jurisdictions

About the Authors

Tony Ko is a barrister at Plowman Chambers, Hong Kong, with extensive experience in commercial litigation, financial regulation and digital asset disputes, including landmark SFC enforcement proceedings and the Gatecoin liquidation. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area lawyer, and holds several public and academic roles including Temporary Deputy Registrar of the High Court and Adjunct Professor at Shandong University of Political Science and Law. He is joined by a team of co-editors and contributors — Karen Cheung, Michelle He, Him Ho, Anson Li, Michelle Liu, Sean O'Peilly and Ludovic Shum — all active in Hong Kong's legal, regulatory and digital-asset practice.

Table of Contents

• 1. Introduction to Digital Assets: Nature and Taxonomy
• 2. The Legal and Regulatory Framework in Hong Kong
• 3. Hong Kong Case Law on Digital Assets
• 4. Regulation of Cryptocurrencies
• 5. Securities Law Analysis of Digital Assets
• 6. Licensing for Virtual Asset Management
• 7. Digital Asset Liquidation: A Practitioner's Perspective
• 8. Dispute Resolution Frameworks
• 9. Private International Law and Cross-Border Digital Assets

Why buy this book?

Digital assets are inherently cross-border, but the legal frameworks governing them are not — and Hong Kong's proactive, PRC-unique policy stance makes it a jurisdiction every cross-border digital asset practitioner needs to understand. This is the first work to bring that framework together in one comprehensive, practitioner-authored volume, from an author who has personally litigated the landmark cases it discusses. For law firms, financial institutions and compliance teams advising on digital assets anywhere in the world, this is reference-shelf material for a fast-moving, high-stakes practice area.

Keywords

digital assets law, cryptocurrency regulation Hong Kong, virtual asset licensing, NFT law, stablecoin regulation, blockchain law, Hong Kong fintech law, VASP licensing, digital asset liquidation, private international law digital assets

Target Audience

Lawyers and barristers advising on digital assets, financial regulators and compliance officers, digital asset and fintech businesses, academics researching blockchain and cryptocurrency law, cross-border finance professionals

Genre

Digital Assets Law, Information Technology Law, International Law, Financial Regulation

Q&A

Q: What areas does The Law of Digital Assets in Hong Kong cover?
A: It covers the taxonomy of digital assets, Hong Kong's regulatory framework, case law, cryptocurrency and securities regulation, VASP licensing, liquidation, dispute resolution and private international law.

Q: Why is Hong Kong significant for digital asset regulation?
A: Hong Kong is the only part of the People's Republic of China with a proactive regulatory policy supporting the digital asset industry, making it a key reference jurisdiction for cross-border practitioners.

Q: Who should read this book?
A: Lawyers, financial regulators, compliance officers, digital asset businesses and academics working on cryptocurrency, blockchain or fintech law anywhere in the world.

Q: Does the book address real cases and enforcement actions?
A: Yes — it draws on Hong Kong's case law and enforcement history, including a first-hand account of the Gatecoin crypto exchange liquidation.

Q: Where can I buy The Law of Digital Assets in Hong Kong?
A: You can purchase it directly from CLNZ Books, with worldwide shipping included in the price.

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