Hong Kong launches three major fintech initiatives in succession, with AI+Web3 driving the new economy

1、 Establish AI+Strategy Committee to anchor the new track of intelligent economy

In order to seize the opportunity of the transformation of the artificial intelligence industry, Hong Kong has officially established the "AI+and Industrial Development Strategy Committee" to coordinate and promote the deep integration of AI technology with the real economy. The committee will focus on three major directions: AI infrastructure construction, cross industry application implementation, and talent cultivation. It will collaborate with government, industry, and academia resources to develop an industrial development roadmap and help Hong Kong form competitiveness in cutting-edge fields such as generative AI and embodied intelligence.

The Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Paul Chan, stated that the deep integration of Web3 and AI will "change the rules of the game", and Hong Kong is committed to building a global technology application hub. The establishment of the committee marks Hong Kong's transformation from a single financial center to a dual engine of "finance+technology", with a focus on supporting the implementation of AI in finance, logistics, healthcare, smart cities and other scenarios, and cultivating new economic growth points.

2、 Token bond trading is released, RWA market welcomes major breakthrough

In the field of asset tokenization, Hong Kong allows licensed digital asset trading platforms to trade tokenized bonds in compliance, opening up a key channel for traditional financial assets to be put on the chain. Previously, Hong Kong had issued over 2 billion US dollars worth of tokenized green and infrastructure bonds. The opening of the secondary market for trading this time will significantly enhance the liquidity and market attractiveness of tokenized bonds.

According to the Digital Asset Policy Declaration 2.0, Hong Kong is comprehensively reviewing the entire process of tokenized bond issuance, settlement, and registration. In the future, it will expand to tokenize more real-world assets (RWA) such as precious metals and new energy assets, promoting the deep integration of traditional finance and blockchain technology. This move can not only reduce issuance costs and improve transaction efficiency, but also attract global capital to participate in the Hong Kong capital market and strengthen its position as an international financial center.

3、 Stablecoins are forced to be licensed and implemented, with HSBC Standard Chartered leading the way in Hong Kong dollar stablecoins

Hong Kong has implemented a mandatory licensing system for fiat reference stablecoins. The Stablecoins Ordinance will officially come into effect in August 2025, specifying that all stablecoin issuances linked to fiat currencies must apply for a license, and strictly regulating reserve assets, stabilization mechanisms, and redemption processes. In April 2026, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority issued the first batch of stablecoin licenses to Dingdian Financial Technology, a joint venture between HSBC and Standard Chartered, marking the imminent landing of compliant Hong Kong dollar stablecoins.

HSBC plans to launch a Hong Kong dollar stablecoin in the second half of 2026, which will be integrated with PayMe and the HSBC app, supporting P2P transfers, merchant payments, and tokenized investments; Zhada's subsidiary Dingdian Finance is expected to launch in stages in the second quarter of this year, using the "B2B2C" model to expand its application scenarios. The entry of two major note issuing banks will provide compliant and efficient payment tools for cross-border payments, trade settlements, and digital asset transactions, promoting the maturity of Hong Kong's digital finance ecosystem.