The Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) is reluctant to approve the initial public offering (IPO) applications of Chinese bitcoin mining equipment manufacturers, according to a person involved in the talks. Following the 2017 cryptocurrency market boom, mining giants Canaan Creative, Ebang and Bitmain applied in May, June and September of this year, respectively, to sell shares on the HKEX. Bitmain’s bid, in particular, was seen as a watershed moment, as it marked the first time a major crypto startup sought to go public. But the 2018 bear market has underscored the sharp ups and downs of the crypto space, making the ... (full story)