.png){kind=logo}
Ant Group, China's largest internet finance company, is moving toward re-entering the digital asset space. The firm has attempted to register multiple trademarks with the Hong Kong Economic Times, as noted in public filings, for blockchain, stablecoins, and virtual assets, including the 'ANTCOIN' trademark.
The trademark applications filed with the Intellectual Property Department in Hong Kong describe existing and emerging digital and financial services relevant to the Hong Kong market, including online payments, electronic wallets, issuance of stablecoins, and token transfers. Although each application is pending, the filings illustrate that Ant Group has taken renewed interest in blockchain-based financial infrastructure.
Decrypt contacted Ant Group regarding the scope and status of the trademark filings, but the company didn't respond at the time.
Industry analysts term the trademark filings as preemptive protection of Ant Group's intellectual property interests in Hong Kong's progressive Web3 focus. Joshua Chu, lawyer and co-chair of the Hong Kong Web3 Association, told Decrypt that protecting the ANTCOIN brand is a strategic step as the company adapts to evolving regional regulations.
Chu said the decision allows Ant Group to safeguard its potential projects, despite Beijing’s recent directives pausing stablecoin initiatives for major tech firms. He added that maintaining IP rights ensures future readiness once regulatory clarity improves.
Earlier this month, Beijing reportedly ordered companies, including Ant Group, to suspend stablecoin-related operations in Hong Kong. While the directive has slowed progress on local tokenization projects, it has not stopped preparatory work, such as trademark filings and research and development.
This ANTCOIN filing suggests that Ant Group is looking to grow a digital finance venture in regulated virtual asset frameworks. Connecting regulated tokens to Ant Group’s flagship payment solution, Alipay, would create opportunities for faster digital-to-digital settlement and transactions linked to fiat currency.
To establish this connection, Ant Group would need to obtain regulatory approval and work with institutional custody providers to ensure compliance and security. The general direction aligns with the global fintech trend of embedding blockchain technology into existing financial frameworks.
Industry experts consider this direction aligned with Ant Group’s broader shift toward cross-border payments and enterprise financial services. Following the regulatory restructuring in mainland China, the company has focused on developing a compliant fintech framework in more permissive jurisdictions, such as Hong Kong and Singapore.
This approach contrasts with China’s continued emphasis on its central bank digital currency (CBDC), known as the digital yuan. By exploring alternative digital asset models abroad, Ant Group is positioning itself to participate in regulated Web3 finance in the future.
The trademark applications of Ant Group not only opened the door for Chinese tech giants to reactivate their interest in the Web3 domain through corporate channels but also indicated that investments could be made and that blockchain technology could penetrate the Asian market more quickly. That investors' moods could be influenced and that global acceptance of blockchain technology could accelerate are two other possible impacts of Ant Group's move.
But at the same time, regulatory uncertainty still affects the overall picture. The government of mainland China has, in the past, taken measures to stifle the issuance of private stablecoins, thereby showing its distrust of decentralized finance. In contrast, Hong Kong has welcomed the creation of a stablecoin licensing regime, which means that companies that comply with the law can now pursue digital asset innovation.
Ant Group is dealing with these various factors, and the question is: will it be possible to redefine the partnership between fintech and blockchain in the post-regulatory market through Ant Group's methodical yet cautious re-entry?
Ant Group’s trademark filing for ANTCOIN in Hong Kong marks a calculated reentry into blockchain and digital finance. By securing IP rights, the company positions itself to re-engage with stablecoins and Web3 innovation within a regulated financial environment.
