A US national bank regulator has confirmed that banks can act as intermediaries in “riskless principal” crypto transactions, positioning them closer to broker-style roles in the digital asset market. In these deals, a bank buys crypto from one party and simultaneously sells it to another, holding little or no asset exposure on its own balance sheet except in limited cases. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) said such activities will not be treated as novel or presumptively unsafe, easing ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for Q4 2024 was US$124.1 million, representing a 22.8% increase quarter-over-quarter and a 77.3% increase year-over-year [9][10] - For the full year 2024, total revenue reached US$391.5 million, a 43.7% increase from 2023 [9] - GAAP net income for 2024 was US$60.7 million, up 86.5% from 2023, while non-GAAP net income was US$70.5 million, up 65% [10][22] - Non-GAAP net profit margin increased from 20% in Q3 to 25% in Q4 [11] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Commission income grew by 35.8% and interest income by 16.3% compared to the previous quarter [9] - In Q4, 70% of commission revenue came from cash equities, 30% from options, and the remainder from futures and other products [20] - The company underwrote a total of 14 U.S. and Hong Kong IPOs in Q4, bringing the total for the year to 44 [16] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total client assets grew by 2.4% quarter-over-quarter and 36.4% year-over-year, reaching US$41.7 billion [13] - Client assets in Hong Kong increased by about 50% quarter-over-quarter, making it the third largest market in terms of client assets [13] - In Q4, approximately 80% of net asset inflows came from retail users [12] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to acquire 150,000 new funded clients in 2025, focusing on user quality and ROI rather than just quantity [27] - The company has received licenses to operate as a virtual asset trading platform in Hong Kong, allowing it to offer spot trading and custody services for major cryptocurrencies [45] - The company plans to continue investing in Hong Kong to drive growth, focusing on attracting high-quality users [48] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that the market was very active in Q4, benefiting margin financing and securities lending activities [34] - Despite recent market volatility, the company expects continued growth in trading volume, particularly in Hong Kong [39] - Management expressed confidence in maintaining steady trading volume and user growth despite external market conditions [39] Other Important Information - The company upgraded its AI investment assistant, TigerGPT, to TigerAI, integrating leading AI models to enhance user experience [15] - The total number of funded accounts reached 1.09 million, a 20.7% increase year-over-year [11] Q&A Session Summary Question: Target for new funded clients in 2025 - Management confirmed the target of 150,000 new funded clients for 2025, focusing on user quality and ROI, with expectations for improved customer quality metrics [27] Question: Breakdown of new funded clients by region in Q4 - Approximately 60% of new funded users came from Singapore and Southeast Asia, 25% from Greater China, 10% from Australia and New Zealand, and 5% from the U.S. [28] Question: Increase in compensation expenses and effective tax rate - The rise in labor costs was attributed to added employee incentives and a higher effective tax rate due to increased profits from the U.S. market [34] Question: Impact of recent market volatility on trading volume - Despite volatility, trading volume remained steady, with increased activity in both Hong Kong and U.S. markets [39] Question: Contribution of VATP license to crypto growth - The VATP license allows the company to offer spot trading and custody services for cryptocurrencies, aiming to bridge traditional finance and cryptocurrency [45] Question: Inconsistent trend in interest income and expenses - Interest income rose due to better rate terms negotiated with banks and increased demand in the securities lending market, despite a flat margin financing balance [50]