Quarterly News Roundup on Fintech, Financial Services & Sustainability (Q2 2025)

InvestHK celebrates 25 years of impact

• InvestHK hosted a reception on 24 June 2025 for new establishments of international and Mainland businesses in Hong Kong. The event attracted nearly 350 senior representatives from companies worldwide.
• The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, officiated at the ceremony, reaffirming Hong Kong's role as a "super connector" and "super value-adder" connecting the Mainland and the rest of the world.

InvestHK fosters mutual engagement through successful delegations to Gulf Cooperation Council region

• InvestHK embarked on a visit to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region from May 9 to 16, with stops in Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), promoting both inward and outward investment.
• Significant progress has been made in establishing strong partnerships and delivering measurable business outcomes. A notable example is the partnership between Evident Group and Zand Bank, the UAE’s first fully licensed digital bank. This development builds on the momentum generated by the Chief Executive’s visit to the GCC region in May, during which InvestHK signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs). As InvestHK evolves into a business development agency, it is strategically positioning itself to leverage Hong Kong’s unique status as both a “super-connector” and a “super value-adder,” helping businesses thrive in the region and beyond.
• Over the past two years, companies such as 4Paradigm, Evident Group, LianLian Global, Libertify, Lingfeng Capital, OneDegree, and more participated in the delegations. Delegates acknowledged that remarkable results would not have been possible without opportunities and connections provided by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government.

InvestHK strengthens two-way Web3 and fintech business and investment between Hong Kong and Japan

• InvestHK successfully concluded an impactful visit to Japan from 30 June to 4 July with a delegation of 16 Hong Kong companies, organisations, universities and a family office.
• The delegates engaged with key players in innovation and digital transformation, including Osaka Prefectural Government, the Osaka Digital Exchange, Japan External Trade Organisation, SBI Corporation, Plug and Play Japan, the NTT West Corporate Innovation Center and more. They also visited IVS 2025 – the largest startup conference in Japan organised by Headline Asia and IVC.
• This delegation illustrates the rising synergy between Hong Kong and Japan’s Web3 and fintech industries, a collaboration that promises a new chapter of ingenuity, growth, and mutual prosperity.

InvestHK promotes in-depth exchanges between fintech enterprises and investment community

• InvestHK successfully hosted the seminar – Meeting leading venture capitals (VC) in Hong Kong, gathering over 200 fintech enterprise founders, VC leaders and industry experts to foster the connectivity among the capital providers and tech founders in Hong Kong’s startup ecosystem.
• The seminar provided a valuable platform for start-ups and scaling enterprises to engage directly with prominent VC leaders. Seasoned investors shared insights on market trends and investment patterns across Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, the GCC region, and other key markets.

Hong Kong FinTech Can Drive Green Investment Stability in a Disrupted World

• As a leading international financial centre, Hong Kong is uniquely positioned to mobilize the RMB 138 trillion required for China’s transition to carbon neutrality by 2050. The Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) plays a pivotal role, serving as the largest platform for offshore Chinese green bonds—accounting for 46% of total offshore volume.
• Backed by a progressive regulatory framework and a dynamic fintech ecosystem, Hong Kong is reinforcing its leadership in sustainable finance. In 2024, HKMA’s Project Ensemble catalyzed innovation, enabling a local startup to launch tokenised private credit for EV charging infrastructure—a scalable model for green finance. With over 1,100 fintech firms and integration into the Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong has solidified its status as the world’s second-largest wealth management hub, attracting capital from Mainland China and beyond. As 90% of Asia’s high-net-worth individuals seek alternative assets, the city’s forward-looking policies and fintech strengths uniquely position it to lead the global shift toward sustainable finance.

Hong Kong’s AUM grew 13% with 81% increase in fund inflows

• Hong Kong rode a new wave of growth as a pre-eminent international asset and wealth management hub, notching a robust year-on-year gain of 13% in assets under management (AUM) and an 81% surge in net fund inflows last year, according to the Securities and Futures Commission's (SFC) Asset and Wealth Management Activities Survey 2024.

Hong Kong’s global competiveness rises to third globally

• The International Institute for Management Development (IMD) has released the results for the World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY) 2025 in which Hong Kong’s global competitiveness rises by two places further to third globally, after improving by two places to fifth last year.
• In particular, “Government efficiency” and “Business efficiency” comes second globally, validating the excellence of civil servants and the result-oriented policies, as well as reflecting business.

Hong Kong ranked 4th globally in FinTech

• According to the 2025 Global Financial Centres Index Report, Hong Kong has maintained its position as the leading financial centre in the Asia-Pacific region and ranks third globally overall. In the fintech sector specifically, Hong Kong holds the fourth position worldwide, reflecting a continued rise in its fintech standing.

Partnership between Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to support emerging Asia venture capital

• In June 2025, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) signed a partnership agreement to support venture capital (VC) in emerging Asia.
• This partnership aims to support the development of innovation technologies and business models for green and technology-enabled infrastructure in Asia’s emerging economies, while promoting Hong Kong’s established ecosystem for VCs and innovators across the region.

Hong Kong issued the Policy Statement 2.0 on the Development of Digital Assets

• In June 2025, the Government issued the Policy Statement 2.0 on the Development of Digital Assets in Hong Kong, reinforcing its commitment to establishing Hong Kong as a global hub for innovation in the digital asset (DA) field.
• The Policy Statement 2.0 sets out a vision for a trusted and innovative DA ecosystem that prioritises risk management and investor protection, while delivering concrete benefits to the real economy and financial markets. The latest statement introduces the "LEAP" framework, which focuses on: 1) Legal and regulatory streamlining; 2) Expanding the suite of tokenised products; 3) Advancing use cases and cross-sectoral collaboration; 4) People and partnership development.

FSTB and SFC consult on proposed regimes to regulate virtual asset dealers and custodians

• Following the release of the Policy Statement 2.0 on the Development of Digital Assets, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (FSTB) and the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) launched a joint consultation in June 2025, to introduce regulatory regimes for digital asset dealing and custodian service providers.
• The proposed regimes extend Hong Kong’s efforts in fostering a secure, robust and globally competitive digital asset ecosystem, guided by the Government’s latest policy statement on digital asset development.

HKMA and PBoC introduce Payment Connect

• In June 2025, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) announced the launch of Payment Connect.
• Payment Connect refers to the linkage between the Mainland’s Internet Banking Payment System (IBPS) and Hong Kong’s Faster Payment System (FPS), which supports secure, efficient and convenient real-time cross-boundary payment for residents and institutions in both places.
• By simply inputting the recipient’s mobile number or account number, residents in both places can make instant small-value cross-boundary remittances.

Saudi sukuk ETF begins trading in Hong Kong

• In June 2025, the first Sukuk (i.e. Islamic bond) exchange-trade fund (ETF) – Premia BOCHK Saudi Arabia Government Sukuk ETF, started trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange.
• The listing allows investors in both Hong Kong and Saudi Arabian markets to access each other’s assets, as well as gives fresh impetus to the city’s role as a super-connector on the China-Middle East Corridor.

Hong Kong passed Stablecoins Bill

• In May 2025, Legislative Council passed the Stablecoin Bill to establish a licensing regime for fiat-referenced stablecoins (FRS) issuers in Hong Kong, to further enhance Hong Kong’s regulatory framework on digital asset activities, thereby fostering financial stability and encouraging financial innovation.
• The new regulatory regime aims to enhance protection for both the public and investors. Under the Ordinance, only licensed institutions may offer FRS products in Hong Kong, and only those issued by licensed entities may be sold to retail investors.
• Expected to take effect this year, the Ordinance allows time for the industry to understand and comply with licensing requirements. Transitional arrangements are also in place to support licence applications and help firms align their operations with the new regulations.

The 8th edition of the Global Fast Track (GFT) 2025 is now open for applications until September 21. This year, the programme will be expanded to include other verticals in addition to fintech, unleashing business opportunities for more technology companies in Hong Kong and worldwide.

• Featured verticals seven key verticals:
  • FinTech;
  • Artificial Intelligence;
  • GreenTech;
  • Blockchain & Digital Assets;
  • InsurTech & HealthTech;
  • Innovation & Technology; and
  • Mainland China Track (in Putonghua).
• Featured partners
  • HKSTP Global Connect
    • The programme offers a comprehensive soft-landing package, including: 1) Financial grants of up to HK$100,000; 2) Access to co-working space; 3) Investment and business matching; 4) 1-on-1 consultations for setting up businesses in Hong Kong; and 5) Training and networking.
  • Accenture FinTech Innovation Lab Asia-Pacific (FILAP)
    • Through the GFT 2025, applicants will have the opportunity to fast-track to FILAP 2026 Interview Day, providing access to expert mentorship and exclusive connections to global financial leaders.

For details of the entire programme of GFT 2025 and the application process, please visit here.

Hong Kong as a strategic hub for finetch innovations and a vital gateway to APAC market

• Options Technology (Options), UK fintech company, has opened a new office in Hong Kong, enhancing its capacity to support clients and partners across the Asia-Pacific region to meet the dynamic demands of global financial markets. Through this expansion, Options aims to strengthen its delivery of real-time market data, infrastructure, and cloud services across Asia.

Hong Kong showcases its irreplaceable strategic value as a ‘super connector’ for bridging companies with business opportunities in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region

• During last year’s delegation to the GCC region, Evident Group first connected with Zand Bank, the UAE’s AI-powered bank, licensed by the Central Bank of the UAE. This year, an MoU was signed, committing to deliver innovative alternative investment solutions for Zand Bank’s private wealth clients.
• Through InvestHK delegations, Lian Lian Global forged key G2G ties, most notably with the Central Bank of the UAE, unlocking strategic opportunities in the region. It also reached a cooperation agreement with Lulu Money to extend its payment gateway services connecting China and the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region during the Dubai FinTech Summit.
• Lingfeng Capital established operations in Abu Dhabi as its regional headquarters during the first delegation visit last year.
• OneDegree is set to provide digital asset insurance in the UAE, having received approval from the Central Bank of the UAE through partnership with Dubai Insurance Co. Another important milestone was the deeper engagement with senior management of the Insurance Authority of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the delegation visit last year.

• Hong Kong Green Week
  • Themed “Forging a Sustainable Future Together,” the second edition of the city’s flagship sustainability event will take place from 8 to 12 September, providing a platform for global stakeholders to engage in meaningful dialogue and collaborate on one of the most pressing issues of our time.
  • For more details, please visit https://www.hkgreenweek.hk/en/

• Hong Kong FinTech Week x StartmeupHK Festival 2025
  • The convergence of the two events will convene from 3–7 November, creating an expanded platform dedicated to all facets of technology and business impact.
  • This festival underscores Hong Kong’s dedication to the digital economy by tapping into its strengths as a top international financial centre and a thriving start-up hub.
  • For more details, please visit www.fintechweek.hk or www.startmeup.hk.