Hong Kong Fintech Week Main Forum successfully concluded Li Jiachao: Hong Kong has unique advantages to help enterprises expand the global market

The Zhitong Finance App learned that on November 3, the Hong Kong Fintech Week x StartMeupHK 2026 main forum ended successfully at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center. The event brought together global government officials, regulators, entrepreneurs, investors, technology pioneers and industry leaders, as well as more than 30 delegations from mainland China and overseas markets to discuss the new opportunities brought by the three growth engines of “Finance+”, “AI+” and global expansion.

Entering its 11th edition, the event focused on exploring how companies can make good use of Hong Kong's comprehensive advantages in capital, technology and global connectivity to open up new growth opportunities. The main forum was held from November 2 to 3 to discuss in depth how finance can drive innovation and industrial transformation, how artificial intelligence can reshape various industries and create new value, and how enterprises can connect with new partners, explore new markets, and seize global growth opportunities through Hong Kong's international network and business ecosystem.

Linking finance, innovation and global growth

Speaking at the main forum, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Li Jiachao, said that with the development of technology and opportunities brought by new investment and global trade models, Hong Kong provides a stable business environment to support long-term investment, innovation and vigorous development of enterprises. Li Jiachao said, “The HKSAR Government announced the “First Five-Year Plan for the Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region” about two months ago. The five-year plan is closely linked to the national “15th Five-Year Plan”, providing a clear direction to help Hong Kong give full play to its advantages and better integrate and serve the overall development of the country. Our first five-year plan is not only a policy document, but also outlines the development prospects Hong Kong offers businesses, investors and innovators.” He pointed out that the five-year plan will help enterprises make good use of Hong Kong's far-reaching development prospects and seize the rich development opportunities of the country and the world.

Li Jiachao also pointed out that the international community's confidence in Hong Kong continues to grow, investors continue to invest capital in Hong Kong, global professionals choose to develop in Hong Kong, and international companies are also using Hong Kong as a base to expand their business. Looking ahead, he emphasized the rapid development of technology, Asia's drive for global economic growth, and the opportunities brought by China as the main engine driving transformation. With connections to global capital, strong international networks and deep ties with the mainland, Hong Kong has unique advantages to help enterprises move from scientific research and commercialization to large-scale development, and expand from Hong Kong to the mainland and global markets.

Hong Kong's Financial Secretary, Mr Chan Mao-po, proposed in his keynote address that promoting the development of fintech must focus on three directions: efficiency as the driving force, inclusiveness as the goal, and trust as the foundation. He said, “To drive the development of fintech forward, we must not only launch more pilot projects, but also integrate innovative achievements into the daily operations of the enterprise, bringing real benefits. The government will continue to provide clear rules and reliable infrastructure. I sincerely invite everyone in Hong Kong to translate innovative ideas into practical applications so that technology can benefit businesses and citizens.”

“Finance+” and “AI+”: Promoting Market and Industrial Innovation

The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of Hong Kong, Mr Hui Ching-yu, said during the panel discussion on “Fintech Hubs: The Intersection of Data, Tokenization and Artificial Intelligence” that data, tokenization and artificial intelligence are the three major tools for connecting the world and the future — using data as the driving force, building new infrastructure through tokenization, and using artificial intelligence as new wisdom. He added that the government, regulators and the industry are working together to fully harness the potential of these three tools, pass legislation, improve regulatory measures, encourage and promote innovation, provide more application scenarios and cultivate more talents, and build a perfect ecosystem with complete infrastructure to support the sustainable development of the entire industry.

The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Yau Ying-wah, said that in the face of complex geopolitics, inflationary pressures and global economic uncertainty, innovation, technology and start-ups need a trustworthy platform, reliable international hubs and world-class professional services to help them establish direction and explore new markets. This is Hong Kong's unique advantage. The “Hong Kong First Five-Year Plan” marks an important step in the Government's formulation of Hong Kong's future development priorities, providing a more definitive and clear strategic direction for the further development of the business community. He said that efforts will continue to be made to optimize Hong Kong's business environment and make Hong Kong an ideal platform for global enterprises, including start-ups, to flourish and expand their business.

The Deputy Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Chan Ho-rim, said that Hong Kong ranks third in the world and number one in Asia in the Global Financial Centers Index, and is leading the world in fintech. Certainty plays a key role in innovation and development. Under the direction of the “Hong Kong Digital Asset Development Policy Declaration 2.0", Hong Kong will establish a licensing system for virtual asset transactions, custody, advice and management services, and submit revised regulations to the Legislative Council within 2026 to clarify the path of compliance for the market. He said that Hong Kong adheres to the internationalization principle of “same business, same risks, same rules”, and that a transparent, robust and predictable regulatory framework is the cornerstone of the innovators in Hong Kong.

At the broader level of innovative economic development, participants also discussed how emerging technologies can reshape the foundation of economic competitiveness, including supporting the infrastructure and collaborative ecosystem required for the development of cutting-edge industries, promoting large-scale application of technology, and cultivating long-term growth drivers for the overall economy.

The Deputy Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Cheung Man-li, said that innovation alone is not enough. To cultivate new types of productivity, basic research requires a clear commercialization path, cutting-edge technology requires practical application scenarios, and startups need a complete ecosystem of talent, capital, industry, and market entry. Hong Kong is uniquely positioned to meet these needs. By promoting AI+, strengthening computing power infrastructure, coordinating artificial intelligence development and risk management, encouraging patient capital, deepening collaboration in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and accelerating large-scale development projects such as the Northern Metropolitan Area, Hong Kong is building an ecosystem where scientific research connects the industry, allows innovation to find real application scenarios, and allows startups to grow into globally competitive enterprises. She expressed her hope to further accelerate the transformation of innovative ideas into results, so that innovation can be transformed into new industries, new opportunities and a new growth engine for Hong Kong.

The Deputy Secretary for the Environment and Ecology, Mr Wong Suk-han, said that Hong Kong is a strategic hub connecting markets, capital, technology and talent. Through the HK$400 million Low-Carbon Green Research Fund and the newly established Hong Kong Green Science and Technology Innovation Centre, the HKSAR Government is committed to supporting the development of green technology and supporting the transformation of research results into green low-carbon technology solutions with high application and commercial potential. Wong Suk-han pointed out that the “Green Technology Bridgehead Program” to be launched next year will also help green technology and environmental companies to explore the international market using Hong Kong as a springboard to go overseas or enter the mainland.

Various discussions at the forum showed that the development of “Finance +” and “AI+” is being extended to different fields, opening up more new opportunities at the intersection of finance, technology, sustainable development and industrial transformation.

Strengthening trusted and connected financial markets

As financial services and advanced digital technology continue to evolve, the forum also discussed the foundations needed to support the large-scale development of innovation. Participants discussed market infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and cross-sector collaboration to discuss how to promote innovation while maintaining the confidence, resilience and stability required in international financial centers.

HKMA President Yu Weiwen presided over the panel discussion on “Pioneering the Frontiers of Innovation: Artificial Intelligence, Tokenization, and the Application of Quantum Technology in Global Finance”. During the discussion, he mentioned that the key to promoting the active application of innovative technology in financial services is maintaining soundness and public trust. He pointed out that the HKMA will continue to act as a facilitator, and emphasized that continued cooperation between public and private institutions is particularly important for building a thriving ecosystem that encourages innovation, trustworthiness, and promotes responsible applications. He also said that Hong Kong has the advantage to seize the new growth opportunities brought by fintech. With the good progress achieved in “Fintech 2030,” banks and fintech companies will be able to use data, artificial intelligence, tokenization, and other emerging technologies more effectively.

In the panel discussion, SFC Chief Executive Leung Fung-yee explained the SFC's strategic vision, pointing out that artificial intelligence and tokenization will enable the development of Hong Kong's financial market, but they must also protect investors and maintain market integrity. Artificial intelligence in Hong Kong is developing rapidly, and the scale of application is expanding day by day. In the field of proxy artificial intelligence, she advocates adopting a flexible and proportionate approach, accurately defining its autonomous authority according to the potential impact of relevant activities and the degree of reversibility of decisions, and equipping high-risk applications with complete control mechanisms. Leung Fung-yee also pointed out that in the face of increasing threats related to artificial intelligence, the industry must improve network resilience. In terms of tokenization, she believes that the key to truly creating a scale effect is to integrate it into market operations to bring real benefits by improving efficiency, popularity, liquidity, and settlement speed.

Chief Executive Officer Zhang Yunzheng of the Insurance Authority emphasized the key role of insurance in consolidating Hong Kong's position as an international innovation and technology center, and explained the CIRA's work in promoting the responsible application of artificial intelligence in the insurance industry. In particular, the “Artificial Intelligence Promotion Program” has achieved positive results in promoting the establishment of artificial intelligence centers of excellence by insurance companies in Hong Kong, strengthening talent reserves, and developing application cases. Zhang Yunzheng said, “In line with Hong Kong's first five-year plan, our artificial intelligence strategy makes full use of Hong Kong's mature insurance market, strong institutional capacity, sound regulatory framework and cross-border ecosystem. The Insurance Regulatory Authority will continue to work to build a vibrant artificial intelligence ecosystem and transform the national strategic deployment into specific measures that meet the needs of the industry to enhance the resilience of the industry.”

Hong Kong: Promoting long-term global business expansion for enterprises

One of the key topics throughout the forum was that technology is not only changing industries, but is also reshaping the way businesses are built and expanded. More and more companies are starting to target regional and global markets, so they need capital, talent, infrastructure and reliable business networks across different jurisdictions. In this context, Hong Kong's strong financial strength, innovation ability and unique advantages in global connectivity can help enterprises cope with the new business environment and confidently expand their business scale.

Director of Investment Promotion Liu Kaixuan said, “Hong Kong Fintech Week x StartMeupHK 2026 has led to meaningful connections, partnerships and business opportunities, and these results will continue beyond the main forum. According to the “Hong Kong First Five-Year Plan”, Hong Kong is consolidating and enhancing its status as an international financial center, building an international innovation and technology center and expanding a global cooperation network. The Investment Promotion Department is committed to promoting this vision, connecting global capital with entrepreneurs who will shape the future, and providing the two sides with a development runway to mainland China, Asia and overseas markets.”

The Hong Kong Fintech Week x StartMeupHK 2026 event will continue to be held in various parts of Hong Kong until November 6. A series of community and partner events will continue during this period to continue industry discussions, investor exchanges and business contacts. The remaining activities include a two-day Greater Bay Area Business Innovation Tour. Participants will travel to Shenzhen to learn firsthand about one of the most dynamic innovation ecosystems in the world.