Clara Chiu

Founder & CEO

Clara is the former Licensing Director and Fintech Head at the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC). Widely recognized as the core designer and architect of Hong Kong’s virtual asset (VA) regulatory framework, she also played a central role in shaping regulations for traditional securities brokers and the financial industry, giving her unparalleled expertise in SFC licensing and financial regulation. Before joining the SFC, she worked at international law firms with a focus on regulatory and financial regulation.

Background

Before founding QReg Advisory, Clara was the Licensing Director and Fintech Head at the SFC, where she served from 2007 to 2021. She was a core designer of key traditional financial regulations. She played a significant role in formulating important SFC regulatory policies and drafting key chapters of the SFC’s codes and regulatory publications.

She was also the architect and primary author of Hong Kong’s VA regulatory regime, including regulatory requirements covering licensing and supervision of VA brokers and dealers, VA fund managers, VA advisors, distributors of VA-related products and VA trading platforms, as well as tokenization. Under her leadership, her SFC team approved the first VA trading platform, VA fund manager and automated wealth management platform licences in Hong Kong.

Clara’s expertise spans the full spectrum of the SFC’s supervisory and licensing functions. At the SFC, she worked across the Intermediaries Supervision Department and the Licensing Department, leading regulatory inspections and traditional licensing work.

Clara also represented the SFC at Government and LegCo conferences. She has an in-depth understanding of the practices and regulatory approaches of the SFC, Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), Insurance Authority (IA) and other government bodies, including the practical implementation of regulatory requirements and evolving policy directions.

Today, Clara leads QReg Advisory in providing bespoke SFC licensing strategy, compliance advice, and regulatory crisis management services to securities brokers, asset managers, financial institutions, payment companies, and VA market players in Hong Kong and globally. Her deep understanding of how regulators think, assess and act gives QReg Advisory’s clients a decisive advantage in navigating Hong Kong’s complex regulatory landscape. Clara is regarded as an iconic figure in Hong Kong’s VA sector and regularly speaks at major industry conferences and events.

Honorary Positions

Honorary Advisor, Hong Kong Securities Association (HKSA) (2026-present)
Committee Member, Hong Kong Securities and Investment Institute (HKSI) (2016-present)
Member, SFC Fintech Advisory Group (2017-until its dissolution in 2024/25)
Board Director, HKSI (2016-2021)

Qualifications

Admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong
Master of Laws (L.L.M.), University of London
Bachelor of Laws (L.L.B), The University of Hong Kong
Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL), The University of Hong Kong