In a significant move toward crypto integration with traditional finance, Animoca Brands and Standard Chartered have teamed up with telecommunications giant HKT to launch a Hong Kong-based stablecoin through a newly formed venture called Anchorpoint. The announcement marks an important milestone in the evolving digital asset landscape, combining blockchain innovation with banking infrastructure and regional market access.
The trio recently completed a collaborative pilot within the Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s (HKMA) regulatory sandbox. The test environment focused on key compliance mechanisms, reserve asset management strategies, and settlement models. Insights drawn from the pilot will play a central role in shaping Anchorpoint’s roadmap for a fully licensed, fiat-backed stablecoin tailored to meet Hong Kong’s stringent financial regulations.
Leveraging Animoca’s blockchain capabilities, Standard Chartered’s robust financial ecosystem, and HKT’s local connectivity, Anchorpoint aims to serve as a trustworthy and regulated digital currency option in one of Asia’s most important financial centers. The joint effort comes amid growing demand for stablecoins that combine regulatory compliance with Web3 functionality, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.
Although the licensing process is currently underway, Anchorpoint has positioned itself as one of the most promising initiatives under HKMA’s stablecoin framework. As stablecoins increasingly become a vital tool in decentralized finance (DeFi), their role in bolstering liquidity, enabling real-time settlements, and reducing cross-border transaction costs is gaining traction among institutional investors and blockchain developers alike.
This latest development underscores a broader trend of traditional financial institutions embracing crypto, DeFi, and blockchain technology in pursuit of innovation and global competitiveness. With Bitcoin and Ethereum continuing to dominate market capitalization and interest from governments in CBDCs on the rise, stablecoin projects like Anchorpoint could play a crucial role in bridging the gap between traditional and decentralized financial systems.
