Although the powers stem from the Hong Kong National Security Law introduced in 2020, recent attention has highlighted their impact on digital privacy. Authorities can compel access to personal devices and retain them if deemed relevant to national security cases.

This broad authority is raising concern across the crypto space. With vague definitions of “national security,” even ordinary travelers carrying wallet data could face exposure. As a result, security experts are urging users to rethink how and where they store crypto credentials.