Mainland China’s crypto freeze hasn’t stopped its financial giants from wading in where regulators allow. CMB International Securities, a subsidiary of the $1.7 trillion China Merchants Bank, has launched a crypto exchange in Hong Kong.

On August 18, CMB International Securities flipped the switch on its newly licensed crypto trading platform, allowing qualified investors to trade Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Tether (USDT) through its mobile app.

The move comes just over a month after Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission greenlit its expanded license, marking a quiet but strategic pivot for a firm deeply embedded in China’s traditional finance system.

Unlike mainland China’s outright ban, Hong Kong’s regulatory framework provides a rare on-ramp for state-linked institutions to engage with digital assets without directly challenging Beijing’s stance.

Hong Kong’s regulatory tightrope

CMB International Securities’ crypto pivot comes with strict guardrails. The platform restricts access to “qualified investors,” a classification that automatically screens out mainland Chinese residents and mandates users to establish a conventional cash account before gaining crypto access.

According to the announcement, users need professional investor credentials, which in Hong Kong usually means representing an institution or holding an investment portfolio north of HK$8 million (roughly $1 million) to qualify. This gatekeeping reflects Hong Kong’s deliberate playbook: roll out the red carpet for institutional money while keeping the crypto-curious retail crowd at bay.

The current menu stays conservative, with just Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT for now. But CMB has already hinted at plans to slowly broaden its crypto offerings. This measured expansion isn’t surprising given Hong Kong’s regulatory playbook, where even adding a new token requires jumping through the SFC’s approval hoops.

A bridge between two worlds

What makes CMB International Securities’ move noteworthy isn’t just its first-mover status as a Chinese bank-linked crypto licensee. It’s the deliberate framing of digital assets as a complement to traditional finance, not a replacement.

The firm’s announcement emphasized plans to “integrate” crypto with conventional stock trading and fintech applications for wealth management clients seeking diversified portfolios.

The backdrop, of course, is Hong Kong’s aggressive push to become Asia’s regulated crypto hub, even as mainland China’s ban enters its eighth year. Recent months have seen the city finalize rules for stablecoins, tighten custody requirements, and crack down on unlicensed platforms. For CMB, operating in this environment offers both a shield and a constraint: regulatory legitimacy, but little room for the wild experimentation seen in offshore crypto hubs.