​Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) has successfully concluded an impactful visit to Japan, deepening business ties between the two places. The delegation's primary objectives were to promote two-way business opportunities in Web3 and fintech, and to facilitate strategic technology investments that benefit bothplaces.
     
     From June 30 to July 4, Senior Vice President of Fintech at InvestHK Ms Pauline Fan led a delegation of 16 Hong Kong companies, organisations, universities and a family office to Japan. These included Hong Kong Baptist University, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Web3 Harbour. Meetings and events were held in Osaka and Kyoto together with partners in Japan, including HashPort, Headline Asia, and IVC.
     
     In Osaka on June 30 and July 1, delegates engaged with key players in innovation and digital transformation. They met with members of the Osaka Prefectural Government, the Osaka Digital Exchange, the Japan External Trade Organization, SBI Corporation, Plug and Play Japan, the NTT West Corporate Innovation Center and more. These meetings facilitated meaningful exchanges and explorations of new business partnerships and investments. The momentum continued in Kyoto from July 2 to 4 at IVS 2025, the largest start-up conference in Japan, organised by Headline Asia and IVC. Industry leaders and emerging start-ups exchanged insights on fundraising, business partnerships, and breakthrough trends in Web3 and more.
     
     Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK Mr Arnold Lau said "This delegation marks a significant milestone in solidifying the collaboration between Hong Kong and Japan in innovation and technology. With a strong influx of innovative ideas and investment flows between both sides, we are entering a pioneering era where groundbreaking technologies in Web3 and fintech are poised to redefine the future of digital economies."
     
     This delegation visit came at a perfect time following the Policy Statement 2.0 on the Development of Digital Assets in Hong Kong, issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government on June 26. It reinforces the HKSAR Government's commitment to establishing Hong Kong as a global hub for innovation in the digital asset (DA) field. The statement introduces the "LEAP" framework: Legal and regulatory streamlining, expanding the suite of tokenised products, advancing use cases and cross-sectoral collaboration, and people and partnership development. It 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.
     
     "Our dedicated team at InvestHK is ready to support players in the DA ecosystem, connecting prospective DA service providers with banks and professional services to facilitate their business setup and expansion in Hong Kong," Mr Lau added.
     
Two-way business success driving the agenda forward
     
     Japanese firm Zaiko was the first company to establish a presence in Hong Kong through a similar delegation to Japan in 2024, facilitated by InvestHK. As a key portfolio company of Headline Asia, Zaiko serves as a platform that connects creators directly with people through digital events, video streaming, and data analytics. This inward investment exemplifies the potential for Japanese technology expertise to seamlessly merge with the vibrant economic sectors of Hong Kong, such as creative and event industries.
     
     Waffo established a Hong Kong office in 2023 as its strategic hub for Asia and immediately joined the 2024 InvestHK Japan delegation. The company uncovered new opportunities and successfully entered the Japanese market by opening representative offices, collaborating with multiple Japanese clients and launching innovative cross-border payment and risk-management solutions. Leveraging Hong Kong as its launch pad, Waffo once again participated in this year's delegation to further accelerate its growth in Japan.
     
     The Goldian Group is a diversified conglomerate headquartered in Hong Kong with a strong background in real estate development. In recent years, its family office has strategically pivoted towards the fast-evolving field of digital assets. With the support and facilitation from InvestHK, the Group has gained access to cutting-edge market intelligence, advanced fintech applications and high-potential business opportunities in Hong Kong's financial ecosystem. Leveraging these advantages, the Goldian Group joined this year's delegation and formally launched a real estate tokenisation initiative in Japan, marking a key step in cross-border digital asset innovation and regional collaboration.
     
     With these achievements, InvestHK's latest delegation clearly 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. As both markets continue to harness innovation and investment, the future looks brighter than ever for such two-way partnerships in the digital economy.

Ends/Friday, July 4, 2025
Issued at HKT 15:00

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