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Alchemy Pay says it has successfully uplifted HTF Securities Limited’s Hong Kong SFC Type 4 license (Advising on Securities) to include Virtual Asset Advisory Services, expanding what the licensed firm can do in the city’s regulated digital-asset market. The announcement, published Feb. 10, 2026, describes the upgrade as a key milestone following Alchemy Pay’s earlier strategic investment in HTF Securities.
According to the release, the updated permission authorizes HTF Securities (Central No.: BNO909) to provide regulated advisory services related to virtual assets to both institutional and retail clients.
A first step before bigger license ambitions
Alchemy Pay frames this as “phase one” of a broader regulatory plan with HTF Group. The companies say they intend to pursue additional permissions to cover Virtual Asset Dealing and Management Services under SFC Types 1 and 9.
The company also uses the announcement to reinforce a wider roadmap: it says the license progress supports its long-term vision of bridging fiat and crypto via compliant infrastructure, alongside ambitions around stablecoin development and building Alchemy Chain, which it describes as a stablecoin-based blockchain for compliant global financial flows.
Why they’re leaning into Hong Kong
The release positions Hong Kong as a key hub linking traditional finance and the digital economy, and suggests the regulatory upgrade strengthens Alchemy Pay’s regional posture as the city’s virtual asset framework evolves.
It also points to Alchemy Pay’s wider compliance narrative, saying the firm expanded its footprint across multiple jurisdictions in 2025, including securing U.S. money transmitter licenses.
Why it matters for crypto
- Regulated “crypto advice” is a real product category in Hong Kong now. This upgrade is about advisory permission—important for how institutions and regulated intermediaries package digital-asset exposure.
- It’s another signal that Hong Kong’s VA regime is widening, not retreating. The release explicitly frames this as part of a broader permissions roadmap, with Types 1 and 9 in view.
- Payments firms keep moving up the value chain. Alchemy Pay is using this milestone to tie payments infrastructure to regulated financial services expansion, not just on/off-ramps.
What to watch next
- Type 1 and Type 9 progress. The companies describe this Type 4 uplift as phase one; the next concrete signal is whether and when they secure expanded permissions for dealing and asset management.
- What “virtual asset advisory” looks like in-market. Watch for specifics on eligible products, client onboarding scope (retail vs. institutional), and how advice is delivered under the license.
- Whether Alchemy Chain details move from “roadmap” to timelines. The release references a stablecoin-based chain vision; the next step is tangible milestones, not just positioning.