Recently, the Chairman of the Hong Kong Institute for International Finance (HKIIF), Xiao Geng, delivered a speech highlighting the potential benefits of a CNY-pegged stablecoin for Hong Kong. The event, known as “The First Shenzhen Finance Forum and The Opening Ceremony of Shenzhen Finance Institute,” was hosted by Renmin University of China and focused on digital finance.
During his speech, Xiao emphasized that a stablecoin pegged to the Chinese yuan could enhance the offshore CNY market and strengthen Hong Kong’s position as an international financial center. He mentioned that Hong Kong plays a crucial role in the international promotion of the Chinese yuan, serving as the world’s largest offshore CNY business hub.
Xiao highlighted Hong Kong’s tradition as a testing ground for financial innovations, supported by a robust institutional and market foundation that allows for trials with minimal resistance. He also acknowledged the city’s capability to support and develop advanced digital financial infrastructures.
Xiao advocated for the creation of a Greater Bay Area stablecoin linked to the Chinese yuan. This stablecoin, based on regulated blockchains and digital smart contracts, could elevate Hong Kong’s status in the global financial sector. Such a stablecoin could solidify Hong Kong’s position by leveraging its role as an experimental zone for CNY internationalization and its novel boundary-less CNY products.
Moreover, this initiative could further integrate the financial systems of the Mainland Onshore and Hong Kong-Macau Offshore special economic zones. According to Xiao, the stablecoin could balance the USD-dominated international financial system while enriching the spectrum of offshore CNY market products.
On the other hand, the stablecoin would construct “firewalls” and “spare tires” to guard against systemic risks that might arise from a potential collapse of the USD, where the Hong Kong dollar is pegged to the US dollar.
The implementation of a CNY-pegged stablecoin in Hong Kong could have far-reaching implications for the region’s financial sector. It has the potential to enhance the offshore CNY market, strengthen Hong Kong’s position as an international financial center, and provide a safeguard against systemic risks in the global financial system. As Xiao Geng’s speech suggests, the creation of a Greater Bay Area stablecoin linked to the Chinese yuan could be a significant step towards achieving these goals.
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