Best crypto exchanges in Hong Kong: 13 licensed platforms, and which suit retail

Looking for the best crypto exchange in Hong Kong? Start by ruling out the unlicensed ones, not by comparing fees. Since 1 June 2023, running a virtual asset trading platform in Hong Kong requires an SFC licence. The ranking below includes only licensed platforms that are genuinely open to retail and that we could check against official material. International platforms come afterwards, clearly marked as not supervised by the SFC. If you haven't decided how you want to buy yet, start with our guide to buying Bitcoin in Hong Kong.

01Licensed crypto exchanges in Hong Kong, ranked (2026)

Scores combine five factors: licence and shareholders, tokens available to retail, HKD deposit options, fee transparency, and website and app experience. Fees are base-tier and change often; check the official site.

1. Top licensed pick · HKD deposits

   OSL ExchangeFirst licensee · CE BPJ213

   Received the SFC's first virtual asset trading platform licence on 15 December 2020; parent OSL Group is listed on HKEX (863). Retail customers can trade BTC, ETH, SOL and XRP (XRP opened to retail on 29 July 2026). Accepts FPS, eDDA, bank transfer, Visa / Mastercard and Apple Pay — the widest set of deposit options among licensed platforms.

   • Flash Trade advertised at 0% fee (cost is in the spread)
   • FPS · eDDA · card · Apple Pay
   • HKD / USD
   • Early HKDAP stablecoin distributor
   9.1/10

   Official site ↗
2. HashKey ExchangeHash Blockchain Ltd · BPL992

   Licensed 9 November 2022. Parent HashKey Holdings listed on the HKEX Main Board on 17 December 2025 (3887). On 27 July 2026 it merged its exchange and global apps into one, routing Hong Kong users to the HK hub by KYC. HashKey also powers crypto trading at ZA Bank and Mox. HKD deposits mainly by eDDA and FPS.

   • Retail fee reportedly ~0.29% (check site)
   • eDDA · FPS ID deposits
   • Powers ZA Bank and Mox
   • Reported HK$10,000 first deposit
   8.9/10

   Official site ↗
3. PantherTrade (Futu)Panthertrade (Hong Kong) Ltd · BUY578

   Futu group's platform, licensed 27 January 2025 and plugged into the Futubull app from around March 2026, with Futu handling matching and custody. If you already trade Hong Kong or US stocks on Futu, there is almost nothing extra to set up. Futu launched crypto trading in August 2024 with zero commission; check current pricing in the app.

   • Trade inside the Futubull app
   • Buy directly in HKD / USD
   • OTC block trades for high-net-worth clients
   8.3/10

   Official site ↗
4. YAX (Tiger Brokers)YAX (Hong Kong) Ltd · BUT913

   Tiger Brokers' platform, licensed 27 January 2025 with permission to serve retail. Tiger's Hong Kong site lists 5 tokens for retail (BTC, ETH, SOL, AVAX, LINK) and 18 for professional investors, with $0 commission, $0 platform fee and a 0.05% handling fee, priced in USD.

   • Handling fee 0.05%
   • 5 retail tokens
   • Priced in USD, same-day HKD conversion
   8.1/10

   Official site ↗
5. EX.IOEXIO Limited · BUT670

   Licensed 18 December 2024 in the SFC's “swift licensing” batch. Serves individual and institutional clients, highlights tokenised products and accepts FPS. Fees and the retail token list were not published in the official material we checked. The SFC alert list includes look-alike EX.IO domains, so use the official address.

   • Accepts FPS
   • Retail + institutional
   • Watch for clone sites
   7.2/10

   Official site ↗
6. HKVAXHong Kong Virtual Asset Exchange Ltd · BPW549

   Licensed in October 2024 — the first platform licensed under the 2023 regime. Its focus is professional and institutional investors, security token offerings and tokenisation, OTC and custody, so it has limited appeal for everyday retail buyers.

   • Professional-investor focus
   • STO / RWA tokenisation
   • OTC and custody
   6.9/10

   Official site ↗

02All 13 SFC-licensed crypto trading platforms in Hong Kong

The data below comes straight from the SFC list of virtual asset trading platforms, last updated 29 May 2026 and re-checked by us in October 2026. The SFC list does not include web addresses; the website column shows domains we could confirm, and for the rest you should search the CE number on the Public Register.

Deemed-to-be-licensed applicants (not formally licensed): Foris DAX HK (Crypto.com), WhaleFin, Matrixport HK (ceased its platform business). Withdrawn applications include OKX, Bybit, Gate.HK, Huobi HK and BitMart.

03Hong Kong crypto apps and websites compared

Product quality varies a lot among licensed platforms. Some grew out of broker apps — familiar but basic; others are standalone exchanges with full features and a steeper learning curve. These are our editorial ratings (1–5), based on each platform's published sign-up and trading flows.

04Crypto trading fees in Hong Kong

“Zero fee” headlines are easy to misread. OSL's Flash Trade advertises 0% but the quote includes a spread; virtual banks show a percentage and then add a fixed commission per trade. The chart puts side by side the headline fees we could confirm in official or reliable sources, for a small retail purchase.

The pattern is clear. Licensed platforms and brokers charge roughly 0.05%–0.3% per trade; virtual banks cost five to ten times more in exchange for one-tap buying inside a banking app; card purchases usually add a few percentage points; and Bitcoin ATMs are the most expensive option by far. For a full breakdown, see our crypto exchange fees guide.

05Brokers and banks: buying crypto in an app you already use

Hong Kong brokers and banks can connect to licensed platforms through omnibus accounts once they get an SFC uplift for virtual asset dealing. You skip a new account; in return you get fewer tokens, no withdrawals and sometimes hefty fees.

HSBC does not offer spot crypto; it offers Hong Kong-listed Bitcoin and Ether ETFs, and it is one of the first licensed stablecoin issuers. If you only want price exposure and don't need to hold coins yourself, the SFC-authorised spot ETFs (such as the ChinaAMC, Harvest and Bosera HashKey products) are another route.

06International crypto exchanges: usable, not SFC-regulated

Hong Kong does not block offshore exchanges, and using one is not illegal for residents. But OKX lists Hong Kong as a restricted location, Bybit names it an excluded jurisdiction and sits on the SFC alert list, and KuCoin, Gate, MEXC and HTX do not serve Hong Kong users either. Binance never applied for a Hong Kong licence and remains a grey area. The three below accept Hong Kong users and are worth knowing about — just remember none of them is SFC-licensed.

1. Editor's pick for card purchases (not SFC-licensed)

   CEX.IOFounded 2013 · accepts HK residents

   Long-running international exchange where you can buy with Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay or Google Pay. US FinCEN-registered MSB (NMLS 1804170) with money-transmitter licences in 30+ states; PCI DSS Level 1. Not licensed by the Hong Kong SFC: HK customers are served by CEX OVRS LLC (Nevis), with no local investor protection. No FPS or HKD.

   • Card 0.49%–4.99% + service charge
   • Spot 0.15% / 0.25%
   • Fiat USD · EUR · GBP
   • New accounts $1,000/day
   8.2/10

   Open free account→ Read →
2. KrakenNever applied for an HK licence

   Hong Kong is not on Kraken's prohibited list and accounts can be opened with an HKID, but there is no HKD rail — only USD wires or crypto deposits. A long security record and long-running proof of reserves make it an option for experienced users with a USD account who want more coins.

   • Instant buy 1% fee
   • No HKD / FPS
   • Not SFC-licensed
   7.4/10

   Official site ↗ Read →
3. Crypto.comForis DAX HK · deemed-to-be-licensed

   Its Hong Kong entity, Foris DAX HK, applied in February 2024 and is a deemed-to-be-licensed applicant — which the SFC says is not a licence. We could not confirm its current retail onboarding in Hong Kong. If the application fails, the platform must wind down its HK business.

   • Deemed ≠ licensed
   • Polished app
   • HK retail status unconfirmed
   6.6/10

   Official site ↗ Read →

07How to verify a Hong Kong exchange's licence

Cloning licensed platforms has become one of Hong Kong's most common scams. In 2026 the SFC alert list added look-alike domains for HashKey (for example hashkeycom.com), EX.IO and DFX Labs. Spend two minutes on these checks before you open an account:

1. Open the SFC list of licensed platforms

   Find the “Lists of virtual asset trading platforms” page on the SFC site and make sure the platform is in the licensed section, not “deemed” or “applicants”.

2. Note the operator and CE number

   For example, OSL is operated by OSL Digital Securities Limited, CE number BPJ213.

3. Search the CE number on the Public Register

   Confirm the licence is current, covers virtual asset trading, and check the registered principal place of business.

4. Search the alert list

   Run the web address or app name you are about to use through the SFC suspicious platforms alert list.

5. Download only from official channels

   Use the link on the official site or the official app store — never links from social media or chat groups.

More ways to check a platform in our exchange safety guide. To compare licensed platforms elsewhere, see the best exchanges in Taiwan and in Singapore, or our global exchange ranking.

FAQ

Sources

• SFC — Lists of virtual asset trading platforms · updated 29 May 2026, checked Oct 2026
• SFC Public Register of Licensed Persons · checked Oct 2026
• SFC — Suspicious virtual asset trading platforms alert list · checked Oct 2026
• Tiger Brokers (HK) — Virtual assets · checked 30 Sep 2026
• OSL — How to buy USDT with HKD in Hong Kong safely · 25 Feb 2026
• COINHERO — FAQ (ATM fees) · checked 30 Sep 2026

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