Approval has also been given to its trading debut on 18 May 2011.
The ATS authorization grants HKMEx the right to offer market participants, through its member firms, the use of its electronic platform to trade commodities.
The exchange said it will begin trading with at least 16 members including some of the world’s largest financial institutions and futures commission merchants as well as several well-established brokerages in Hong Kong.
The first product to trade on the Exchange will be a 1-kilo gold futures contract offered in US dollars with physical delivery in Hong Kong.
In the pipeline are standardized products which will either be physically or financially settled, covering precious and base metals, energy, agriculture and commodity indices, said the exchange.
All transactions on HKMEx will be cleared through London-based LCH.Clearnet, an independent clearing house.
