Hong Kong’s largest online broker launches Bitcoin and Ether trading for 22 million users

Hong Kong’s largest online brokerage, Futu Securities International, has launched cryptocurrency trading for its 22 million customers.

Futu Securities has launched Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) trading for Hong Kong-based users of its platform.

This makes Futu Securities the first online brokerage to directly offer cryptocurrency to Hong Kong-based retail investors, according to a report by the South China Morning Post.

The decision — which could bring new capital for the world’s two largest cryptocurrencies — comes during an uptick in investor interest in cryptocurrency. It comes a week after the launch of the first spot Ether exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the United States, which debuted for trading on July 23.

Showcasing the growing investor interest, Bitcoin’s open interest hit a record high of $39.4 billion on July 29, increasing expectations of an imminent price breakout.