Unlimit has obtained a money service operator licence from Hong Kong's Commissioner of Customs and Excise.
The approval extends Unlimit's regulatory footprint in the region and supports the company's continued expansion across Asia-Pacific.
According to the 2025 Triennial Central Bank Survey, Hong Kong ranked as the world's fourth-largest foreign exchange centre, with average daily turnover reaching USD 883 billion in April 2025, an increase of 27% compared with April 2022. This scale reflects Hong Kong's continued role as a hub for currency trading and cross-border financial flows in Asia-Pacific, an environment in which regulatory clearance for money service operations carries particular relevance for companies handling multi-currency transactions.
With the licence in place, Unlimit stated it will use its Hong Kong hub to add local payment channels for businesses operating across the wider Asia-Pacific region. The move is positioned as part of a broader strategy to strengthen the company's operational base in markets where regulatory requirements and payment infrastructure vary considerably from one jurisdiction to another.
Addressing regional payments fragmentation
Commenting on the development, Michele Fung, Head of APAC at Unlimit, said that Asia-Pacific does not function as a unified payments market, noting that companies entering new markets in the region must navigate differing currencies, payment systems, and regulatory requirements. It was also added that the Hong Kong licence would allow Unlimit to support businesses in managing this complexity and in moving money across borders as their operations grow.
The statement reflects a recurring characteristic of the Asia-Pacific payments landscape, where jurisdictions maintain distinct licensing regimes, currency controls, and settlement infrastructures. For international companies, this fragmentation typically requires either multiple local partnerships or a licensed presence in key financial centres to facilitate compliant cross-border money movement.
By securing authorisation directly from Hong Kong's customs authority, Unlimit gains a regulated basis from which to offer money service operations locally, rather than relying solely on third-party arrangements. This is consistent with the company's stated aim of building out infrastructure that supports businesses expanding into or across the Asia-Pacific region, an area that continues to account for a significant share of global foreign exchange activity.
The licence adds to Unlimit's existing regulatory footprint, as the company continues to position itself within Asia-Pacific's payments and foreign exchange infrastructure.
