The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has yet to determine the timeline for issuing a second batch of stablecoin licenses, according to Deputy Chief Executive Eddie Chan. The decision will depend on the operational performance of the initial licensees, with the total number of future licenses expected to be very limited. Chinese-funded institutions have been advised to temporarily pause their applications, although some continue to engage with the HKMA. Excluding these institutions, the pool of qualified applicants remains small. Meanwhile, HSBC's Payme platform allows Hong Kong residents to open stablecoin accounts, but mainland users are currently ineligible under existing regulations.