Hong Kong’s HKMA warns public of unregulated ‘Kucoin’ crypto exchange

As a researcher with a background in finance and experience in the cryptocurrency industry, I’m deeply concerned about the recent warning issued by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) regarding the unregulated crypto exchange “KuCoin.” The allegations of fraudulent activity and false claims of regulation are serious and potentially harmful to unsuspecting investors.


Hong Kong authorities have sounded the alarm regarding an unlicensed cryptocurrency platform called “Kucoin.” It’s been reported that this platform requires users to make payments in order to unlock funds trapped in frozen accounts.

As a researcher, I would like to share that the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has issued a warning regarding suspicious activities on a cryptocurrency exchange, which deceptively claims to be under its regulatory purview.

On its official website on Friday, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) issued a notice warning the public against dealing with the digital currency platform “Kucoin,” which has been misrepresenting itself as having an HKMA license and issuing documents that appear to be from the HKMA. The platform is requesting payments for fees supposedly needed to recover frozen accounts.

The meaning of the HKMA’s statement regarding KuCoin, a cryptocurrency exchange that previously applied for a virtual asset trading platform license in Hong Kong but later withdrew its application, is yet to be clarified. At present, KuCoin has remained silent on this issue and has not issued any official comments.

As a financial analyst, I’d like to clarify that the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has made it clear that they have no relationship whatsoever with any specific crypto exchange. Furthermore, I’d remind everyone that the HKMA does not reach out to individuals regarding their personal financial concerns.

Around late March, the United States Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against KuCoin and its top executives, Chun Gan and Ke Tang, for claimed violations. The allegations include KuCoin’s failure to comply with the Bank Secrecy Act and enabling unlawful money transfers that were linked to money laundering activities.

According to a recent article on crypto.news, Gan and Tang, two Chinese nationals who are currently fugitives, stand accused in a lawsuit that carries potential imprisonment sentences of up to 10 years for them and other involved parties. Consequently, over $350 million were withdrawn from the cryptocurrency exchange by customers amidst concerns for their asset security. However, company officials have reassured the public about the safety of their funds.

Read More

2024-06-07 18:02