Hong Kong plans to consult on easing restrictions for retail investors to trade virtual assets, the government said in a policy statement on the development of virtual assets. The announcement aligns with Hong Kong’s vision of becoming a global hub for virtual assets. Hong Kong’s virtual asset exchanges currently restrict their services to only “professional investors,” who must hold portfolios worth at least HK$8 million ($1.04 million). The statement said Hong Kong is “ready to engage” with global virtual assets exchanges and invite them to the city for new business. Hong Kong is also exploring pilot projects on NFT issuance for Hong Kong Fintech Week 2022, green bond tokenization, and eHKD. [Hong Kong Government]