- Hong Kong’s SFC has taken regulatory action against suspicious crypto sites.
- The websites are accused of impersonation.
- The regulator also blocked another exchange accused of fraud.
Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has flagged and blocked multiple digital asset websites impersonating licensed local crypto exchanges.
The SFC’s action comes after the regulator recently ordered virtual asset trading platforms that failed to submit their license applications by February 29 to cease business operations in Hong Kong by May 31.
SFC Blocks Crypto Websites Impersonating Licensed Platforms
According to a statement dated March 4, the SFC warned the public on Monday against six “suspicious” websites impersonating HashKey and OSL, the only licensed crypto exchanges in Hong Kong.
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The flagged platforms include HSKEX, which impersonates Hash Blockchain Limited (HashKey) through multiple domains, including https://hskexit.com/, https://www.hskexpro.com, https://hskex.com, and https://www.hskexs.com.
The two other flagged domains are www.oslexu.com and www.oslint.com, both of which were accused of impersonating OSL Digital Securities Limited.
“The above-mentioned websites were posted on the SFC’s Suspicious Virtual Asset Trading Platforms Alert List on 4 March 2024 following reports on fund withdrawal difficulties. Victims also said they were asked to pay exorbitant “fees and taxes” to withdraw their funds from the websites,” the SFC wrote.
Per the statement, following the development, the Hong Kong Police Force has” taken steps to block access” to the above websites impersonating Hash Blockchain Limited. The fake websites impersonating OSL “were inaccessible” when the regulator contacted the police force.
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In a related development, the SFC added BitForex to its Alert List on March 4 over suspected fraudulent activities. The regulator confirmed that BitForex’s platform had been shut down, preventing investors from accessing their accounts and withdrawing assets.
Read about Hong Kong’s plan for testing stablecoins:
Hong Kong Mulls Regulatory Sandbox for Stablecoin Issuers
Stay updated on HTX’s bid for Hong Kong crypto license:
