The Hong Kong Government successfully issued HK$20 billion worth of multi-currency digital green bonds, setting another record for the largest issuance in the world

The Zhitong Finance App learned that the HKSAR Government announced today (September 29) that it has successfully priced approximately HK$20 billion worth of digital green bonds under the Government's Sustainable Bond Program, covering HKD, RMB, USD and EUR. After an online roadshow, this batch of digital green bonds was priced on September 28. Details are as follows: HK$5.5 billion two-year bonds are 3.80%; RMB 7.5 billion five-year bonds are 1.65%; US$200 million three-year bonds are 5.023%; and €450 million four-year bonds are 3.734%.

This time, it once again set a new record for the world's largest digital bond issuance. The subscription amount for the four currencies was about 1.3 to 11.3 times the amount issued, further promoting the application of digital bonds and expanding the investor base.

Following the successful issuance of digital green bonds three times since 2023, this offering further highlights the determination of the HKSAR Government to promote innovation in the bond market. In addition to following traditional settlement methods and the tokenized central bank currency settlement option introduced last time, tokenized deposits were also introduced through EnsembleTX in the first-level issuance and settlement process for Hong Kong dollar bonds, making it the first batch of digital bonds in the world to introduce HKD tokenized deposits, further improving the digital ecosystem, and laying the foundation for exploring the programmability of digital currencies.

The release also continues to strengthen the adoption of global standards, promoting data consistency, interoperability, and end-to-end automation throughout the bond lifecycle through the International Capital Markets Association's latest Bond Data Classification Term (BDT) 2.0.

Hong Kong's Financial Secretary Chan Mao-po said, “The HKSAR Government successfully issued the fourth batch of digital green bonds, with a total issuance of HK$20 billion, the largest of its kind in the world, and was oversubscribed, fully reflecting the market's appetite for investing in tokenized products issued in Hong Kong. This batch of bonds is issued in multiple currencies to meet the diversified asset allocation needs of domestic and foreign investors, and uses a number of innovative technologies to further promote innovation and development in the bond market. The HKSAR Government will continue to issue tokenized bonds on a regular basis, expand application scenarios for related technologies, and continue to use fintech to empower the development of the bond market.”

The Secretary for Treasury of Hong Kong, Mr Hui Ching-yu, said, “This is the fourth time that the HKSAR Government has issued digital green bonds, fully demonstrating our continued commitment to issuing innovative forms of bonds and promoting green transformation. The “Hong Kong Digital Asset Development Policy Declaration 2.0” issued last year proposed expanding the range of tokenized products and promoting application scenarios and cross-industry cooperation, and the “Chief Executive's 2026 Policy Address” also reaffirmed that the government will focus on expanding scenarios and promoting promotion. “This launch will further enhance the community's understanding of the integration of sustainable development and fintech, and further strengthen Hong Kong's position as the world's leading green and sustainable financial center.”

Yu Weiwen, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, said, “We have continued to pioneer and innovate through the HKSAR Government's digital bond issuance since 2023. The fourth launch showcases our determination to maintain a leading position in the digital finance sector, continue to unleash the synergy between digital infrastructures, and deepen the digital asset ecosystem. We are encouraged by the enthusiastic response from investors and the continued expansion of market participation. We look forward to continuing the momentum to further promote innovation and drive adoption.”