The acquisition enables Amber Group to conduct relevant regulated activities under the auspices of Type 1, 2, 4, 5, and 9 licenses from the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission.
SINGAPORE, 14 June 2022 – Amber Group, a leading global digital asset platform, today announced its acquisition of Celera Markets Limited, a fully licensed financial group by the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) of Hong Kong. The acquisition represents a significant milestone for Amber Group, as it continues to strengthen its product portfolio to bridge the gap between traditional and digital finance globally.
As a licensed corporation under the Hong Kong SFC, Celera Markets is a discretionary asset management firm that engages in traditional securities and derivatives brokerage services, with an emphasis on algorithmic execution spanning global venues and asset management mandates.
The acquisition leverages the synergies between Celera Markets and Amber Group, as the latter sets its sights on broadening its advisory and deals offering for financial instruments while adhering to the regulatory parameters set by the SFC. Through the acquisition, Amber Group has secured five types of SFC licenses – Type 1, 2, 4, 5, and 9 – which allows the company to carry out a broad range of services including advising on and dealing in securities and futures contracts as well as providing asset management services.
This is a landmark moment for Amber Group amid an increasingly complex regulatory landscape in the finance industry. The acquisition strengthens Amber Group’s foothold in Hong Kong, a leading global financial center and one of the world’s most active and liquid securities markets, effectively widening the reach of the company’s products and services to legacy financial market participants.
“Hong Kong holds tremendous strategic value as a key global finance hub, and we are proud to be integrating the best from traditional and digital finance as we expand our presence in the market. As an asset management player with a decade-long track record, Celera Markets offers valuable market expertise and TradFi experience which is critical to our global mission to facilitate the convergence of TradFi and digital asset finance. This acquisition also marks a significant milestone in Amber Group’s commitment to regulatory compliance as we strive to build institutional investors’ trust and confidence in crypto assets. As we continue to hold ourselves to the highest compliance standards and win the trust of an SFC-approved institution, we look forward to welcoming a new era of finance in Hong Kong,“ said Michael Wu, Chief Executive Officer of Amber Group.
