HSBC has received approval from the Bank of England to enter the digital securities sandbox, and HSBC Orion has facilitated the issuance of over $5 billion in digital bonds

HSBC has received approval from the Bank of England to operate in the UK's Digital Securities Sandbox (DSS), and its digital asset platform HSBC Orion will support the issuance, servicing, and settlement of digital securities. HSBC stated that HSBC Orion will operate as a digital securities custodian in the DSS and claimed to be the first company approved by the Bank of England to launch in this sandbox.

The platform will support the issuance of native digital bonds, including the Digital Gilt Instrument (DIGIT) and corporate bonds planned for launch in the UK. HSBC stated that HSBC Orion has facilitated over $5 billion in digital bond issuances globally. The UK Treasury indicated that the first DIGIT transaction is expected to take place in the first quarter of 2027, and HSBC has signed a memorandum of understanding with the London Stock Exchange Group to develop connectivity capabilities to support investor participation in pilot issuances.