Hong Kong’s Crypto Tax Tightrope: CARF Adoption Tests Hub Ambitions
Hong Kong's move to adopt the OECD's crypto Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) places the city at a crossroads between regulatory compliance and competitive edge. The framework, set to align crypto exchanges with traditional financial reporting standards, demands centralized platforms to disclose transaction data to tax authorities—a shift that could redefine market transparency by 2027-2028.
"Crypto trading is no longer fringe—it's institutional," says Calix Liu of FinTax, highlighting the sector's maturation. The pre-2018 regulatory vacuum allowed opaque capital flows, but CARF's global rollout (backed by 70+ jurisdictions) signals a clampdown on tax evasion via digital assets. For Hong Kong, the challenge lies in enforcing rigor without stifling innovation.