The Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the Monetary Authority have launched a pilot project to provide digital payment solutions for after-hours trading of derivative products

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) today announced the launch of a joint pilot project to explore new digital payment solutions for trading during after-hours sessions in the derivatives market. This pilot project aims to optimize Hong Kong's capital markets and meet the growing demand for after-hours trading sessions. HKEX and HKMA are studying the introduction of "digital Hong Kong dollar"—a wholesale central bank digital currency (CBDC) operating on a 24/7 model—for the payment of pre-paid margins during after-hours trading sessions, to enhance the risk management capabilities of the derivatives market outside of banking hours while maintaining existing operational processes.