Hong Kong proposes CARF adoption to expand crypto tax reporting by 2028

Hong Kong has opened a public consultation to adopt the OECD’s Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) and to update Common Reporting Standard (CRS) rules, aiming to bring centralized crypto exchanges and cross-border crypto transactions into automatic tax-information exchange by 2028 (CARF) and apply updated CRS measures from 2029. More than 70 jurisdictions have committed to CARF as part of OECD/G20 efforts to close reporting gaps for wallets, decentralized platforms and exchanges. Officials, led by Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui, said the measures will align Hong Kong with international tax-transparency standards, protect its financial reputation and support its role as a global financial hub. Industry experts (including Calix Liu, Stefano Passarello and Noam Noked) warn CARF will raise compliance costs, especially for smaller firms, and could push some trading activity toward self‑custody and peer‑to‑peer channels if enforcement is strict. Hong Kong’s blockchain sector grew ~250% between 2022–2024 and crypto firms rose ~30% in the same period; the public consultation runs until early 2026. For traders: expect tighter KYC and reporting on centralized exchanges over the medium term, potential liquidity and volume shifts toward non‑custodial venues, and higher compliance costs for exchanges and custodians that may affect spreads and execution. Key SEO keywords: CARF, Hong Kong crypto regulation, crypto tax reporting, CRS, exchange compliance.