The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has announced plans to launch a new wholesale central bank digital currency (wCBDC) project known as Project Ensemble. This project aims to support tokenization and may potentially result in the issuance of a live CBDC if there is enough interest. The focus of the project will be on developing innovative infrastructure for interbank settlement using wCBDC, with an initial emphasis on tokenized deposits for use in transactions involving tokenized assets.
To kickstart the project, a sandbox will be created to research and test various tokenization use cases. This will include the settlement of tokenized real-world assets such as green bonds, carbon credits, aircraft, electric vehicle charging stations, electronic bills of lading, and treasury management. The HKMA plans to establish a wCBDC Architecture Community that will consist of local and multinational banks, key players in the industry, and the HKMA’s CBDC Expert Group, which was formed in October and comprises 11 academics from different fields and universities in Hong Kong. The HKMA also aims to involve other central banks and international organizations in the project.
The chief executive of the HKMA, in an invitation to global talents and industry players, stated that they are welcome to join the exciting tokenization journey happening in Hong Kong. The announcement did not mention any involvement from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS). It did highlight the HKMA’s participation in BIS projects such as Projects mBridge, Dynamo, and Genesis, as well as experiments conducted with local and Chinese banks. Some of these experiments involved tests with HSBC and Hang Seng using the bank’s e-HKD “in-house” CBDC, while others explored the use of tokenized deposits for fund transfers within the HSBC network.
In February, the HKMA released guidance on the sale and distribution of tokenized products that are not regulated by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission. The commission is currently considering the establishment of a regulatory framework for stablecoins, indicating a growing interest in managing and regulating digital assets in Hong Kong. With the launch of Project Ensemble, the HKMA aims to further advance the development and adoption of tokenization in the financial sector, positioning Hong Kong as a leading hub for digital currency innovation.
