Traditional Investment Product Matrix and New Custody Services Both Approved! EX.IO Further Strengthens Its Compliant Operations Capability

Leading Hong Kong SFC-licensed virtual asset trading platform EX.IO is pleased to announce that, under the latest updated licensing conditions from the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), the platform has received approvals for two new business activities: the distribution of traditional investment products (including both tokenized and non-tokenized securities), and the provision of new custody services for virtual assets and tokenized securities that clients buy and sell outside the platform.

EX.IO believes these approvals will significantly expand the platform’s business matrix, enabling faster selection and listing of more high-quality investment products. For EX.IO, being among the first to secure this expansion of business scope is not only a key milestone in the company’s development journey and a significant step in leading the compliant digital asset industry in Hong Kong, but also marks a major breakthrough in product diversification and service completeness for compliant digital asset trading platforms in Hong Kong. The associated policy advancements also set a new benchmark for innovation in the global compliant digital asset industry.

Previously, EX.IO was already licensed for virtual asset trading, over-the-counter (OTC) trading, and the distribution of tokenized securities. Under the latest updated licensing conditions, EX.IO can now distribute both tokenized securities and traditional investment products. The platform has also been approved to provide custody services for virtual assets and tokenized securities that clients access through other channels, offering a one-stop secure custody solution. These updates signify EX.IO’s strategic upgrade from a “single trading platform” to a “comprehensive digital asset service provider.” The specific value is reflected in the following aspects:

First, comprehensive expansion of investment product distribution scope.
According to the latest licensing conditions, EX.IO is among the first in Hong Kong’s compliant digital asset industry to be approved for distributing traditional investment products. This means investors will soon be able to achieve one-stop allocation of traditional financial assets and innovative digital assets on the EX.IO platform — whether it’s tokenized gold, U.S. Treasuries, money market funds, and other RWA products, or traditional securities investment tools — all accessible through the same compliant channel. For the platform, this greatly broadens the product matrix and service boundaries, allowing it to more flexibly meet the diversified asset allocation needs of different investor groups. For the market, it breaks down the service barriers between traditional finance and digital assets, setting a compliant precedent for deep integration between the two sectors.

Second, the official launch of new custody services.
EX.IO has now been approved to provide regulated custody services covering virtual assets and tokenized securities held by clients through other platforms or channels, enabling one-stop secure custody. This represents the first strict-sense compliant custody license in Hong Kong before the formal implementation of virtual asset custody licensing, carrying landmark significance. It means that investors’ custodied assets are not limited to those tradable on EX.IO; they can entrust various types of digital assets they hold to a licensed platform for safe custody. Custody accounts are strictly segregated from the platform’s operational funds and are fully subject to applicable laws and regulatory requirements, effectively reducing the complexity and security risks of managing multi-platform assets for investors. This not only fills the market gap for “professional custody of off-platform assets” but also provides institutional and professional investors with asset protection mechanisms that meet regulatory standards, further strengthening Hong Kong’s investor protection framework in the digital asset market.

These two new approvals represent a positive response to the SFC circular issued in November 2025. EX.IO believes that the approval of these new businesses marks an important step in the continued evolution of Hong Kong’s digital asset policies. In Hong Kong, the HKSAR Government released the Hong Kong Digital Asset Development Policy Statement 2.0 in June 2025, clearly proposing the “LEAP” development framework, which emphasizes optimizing legal and regulatory environments, expanding tokenized product categories, advancing application scenarios, and promoting cross-sector collaboration. On the regulatory implementation front, Hong Kong’s regulatory authorities proposed the ASPIRe roadmap in February 2025, aiming to build a comprehensive virtual asset regulatory framework that balances market innovation and investor protection, providing the industry with a clear development direction. The expansion of business scope this time directly implements the “Products” pillar of the roadmap and is highly aligned with Hong Kong’s policy direction of “connecting to global liquidity.”

Internationally, the global tokenized market is in a period of rapid growth. According to market research data, the Real World Assets (RWA) tokenization market has rapidly expanded from billions of U.S. dollars in 2022, with tokenized U.S. Treasuries, commodities, and private credit products continuously favored by institutional investors. Global leading financial institutions such as BlackRock and UBS have successively launched tokenized fund products, reflecting that the integration of traditional finance and blockchain technology has moved from proof-of-concept to large-scale application. The Asia-Pacific region is regarded as one of the fastest-growing markets. Against this major trend, Hong Kong’s timely introduction of a full-chain regulatory framework covering distribution, custody, and asset management is well-timed to seize global opportunities in asset tokenization.

Under positive policy guidance, the compliant foundation and execution capabilities of licensed institutions have become critical. Since its establishment, EX.IO has always actively responded to the policy directions of regulatory authorities and the HKSAR Government, possessing a deep compliance heritage. As one of the first virtual asset trading platforms formally licensed under Hong Kong’s relevant licensing regime, EX.IO has consistently participated in and supported the implementation of Hong Kong’s digital asset-related policies. At the same time, EX.IO has deeply cultivated the Real World Assets (RWA) tokenization track and currently offers a series of high-quality tokenized products covering gold, U.S. Treasuries, money market funds, Pre-IPO equities, and more — ranking among the top in Hong Kong’s compliant peer group. With the establishment of the new regime, we believe qualified investors will be able to participate in tokenized asset allocation with greater confidence in a regulated environment in the future.

“EX.IO is among the first in the industry to be approved for expanding its business scope. We believe this approval marks a milestone step in our compliant development journey. The distribution and custody services for investment products and tokenized securities will bring investors a more comprehensive and professional digital asset service experience,” said Ms. Wu Chen, Co-Founder and CEO of EX.IO. “Hong Kong’s robust and clear regulatory framework has laid a solid foundation for the sustainable development of the industry. We look forward to working hand-in-hand with industry peers to jointly promote the prosperity of Hong Kong’s digital asset ecosystem.”