Hong Kong FinTech Week x StartmeupHK 2026 Main Conference advances new opportunities through Finance+, AI+ and global connectivity (with photos)
******************************************************************************************
Now in its 11th edition, HKFW x SMUHK 2026 focused on how businesses can harness the combined power of capital, technology and global connectivity in Hong Kong to unlock new avenues for growth. Running November 2 and 3 as the centrepiece of the week-long programme, the main conference discussions explored how finance can drive innovation and industrial transformation, how AI is reshaping industries and creating new sources of value, and how enterprises can expand internationally by connecting with new partners, markets and opportunities through Hong Kong's global networks and ecosystem.
HKFW x SMUHK is organised by the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau and Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), in collaboration with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and the Insurance Authority (IA).
Connecting finance, innovation and global growth
The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, delivered his opening remarks at the main conference. As technology and new patterns of investment and global trade create fresh opportunities, he highlighted Hong Kong's ability to provide businesses with the certainty to invest, innovate and flourish for the long term. Mr Lee said, "Less than two months ago, the HKSAR (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) Government unveiled Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development. It is closely aligned with the National 15th Five-Year Plan, which sets out a clear direction for Hong Kong to leverage its strengths and better integrate into and serve the overall national development. More than a policy document, our inaugural Five-Year Plan portrays Hong Kong's outlook for businesses, investors and innovators." Mr Lee said that the Five-Year Plan could help businesses capitalise on the far-reaching promise of Hong Kong and the abundance of opportunities arising from national and global development.
He also pointed to growing international confidence in Hong Kong, reflected in investors continuing to put their capital to work in the city, talented professionals worldwide turning to Hong Kong for their future, and international companies choosing the city to build and scale. Looking ahead, he highlighted the opportunities arising from technological advancement, Asia as a driving force in global economic growth, and China as a major engine for transformation. With access to global capital, strong international connectivity and deep connections with the Mainland, Hong Kong is well positioned to help businesses move from research and commercialisation to scale up, and from the city into Chinese Mainland and global markets.
The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, shared his vision in his keynote address advancing the development of fintech through three priorities: efficiency as the engine, inclusion as the purpose, and trust as the foundation. Mr Chan said, "This is how we take fintech further: not simply by launching more pilots, but by bringing their benefits into the daily operations of businesses. The Government will provide clear rules and reliable infrastructure. I invite you to bring practical applications to Hong Kong."
Finance+ and AI+: advancing innovation across markets and industries
Building on the conference's overarching vision, policymakers and industry leaders explored how financial empowerment and tech innovation are opening new possibilities across various industries and the wider economy.
In his panel discussion "FinTech Nexus: Where Data, Tokens and AI Converge", the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, named the three tools that he considered fundamental to bridge the world and the future in fintech: data as an enabler, tokenisation as the new infrastructure and AI as the new intelligence, are the tools and instruments to bridge the world and the future in the world of fintech. He elaborated afterwards that the Government, regulators and the industry are all working together to capitalise on the three tools. Through legislation, enhancing regulatory measures, encouraging and facilitating innovation, providing more use cases as well as nurturing more talents, not only infrastructure will be built but also a robust ecosystem, thus supporting the whole sector to grow sustainably.
The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, said, "Amidst geopolitical complexities, inflationary pressures and global economic uncertainty, innovation and technology companies and start-ups need a trusted platform, a reliable international hub and world-class professional services to chart their course and expand into new markets. These are exactly the distinctive strengths that Hong Kong offers. Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan marks a significant step in mapping out the city's development priorities and provides the business community with greater certainty and a clearer strategic direction for further growth. We will continue our efforts to enhance Hong Kong's business environment, making it an ideal launchpad for global businesses, including start-ups, to thrive and expand."
The Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Joseph Chan, said "Hong Kong ranks third in the world and first in Asia in the Global Financial Centres Index, with our fintech offerings leading the world. Innovation thrives on certainty. Under the direction of Policy Statement 2.0 on the Development of Digital Assets in Hong Kong, we are establishing the regulatory regime for virtual asset dealing, advisory, management and custody service providers, with a target of introducing the relevant amendment bill into the Legislative Council within this year, to clarify compliance pathways for the market. Hong Kong adheres to the international principle of 'same activity, same risk, same regulation'. Our transparent, robust, and highly predictable regulatory framework is precisely the cornerstone for innovators to establish a foothold in Hong Kong".
Across the wider innovation economy, speakers also discussed how emerging technologies are reshaping the foundations of economic competitiveness, including the infrastructure and collaborative ecosystems needed to support the development of frontier industries, ensure technologies can be adopted at scale, and create long-term sources of growth across the economy.
The Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Ms Lillian Cheong, said, "Innovation alone is not enough. To cultivate 'new productive forces', basic research requires a clear pathway to commercialisation, cutting-edge technology needs real-world application scenarios, and start-ups demand a holistic ecosystem of talent, capital, industry, and market access. Hong Kong is uniquely positioned to fulfill these needs. Through initiatives such as AI+, enhancing physical computing infrastructure, co-ordinating AI development and risk governance, encouraging patient capital, closer collaboration across the Greater Bay Area (GBA), and accelerating major developments including the Northern Metropolis, we are building an ecosystem where research can meet industry, innovation can find real-world applications, and start-ups can grow into globally competitive businesses. Our ambition is to streamline the journey between an idea and impact, ensuring that innovation becomes new industries, new opportunities and new sources of growth for Hong Kong."
The Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Miss Diane Wong, highlighted that Hong Kong serves as a strategic nexus connecting markets, capital, technology, and talent. Through the HK$400 million Green Tech Fund and the newly established Hong Kong Green Technology Innovation Centre, the Government is determined to support the development of green technologies and transform research outcomes into green and low-carbon technology with high application and commercialisation potential. Miss Wong said the Green Technology Bridgehead Programme to be launched next year will also support green technology and environmental companies that intend to use Hong Kong as a springboard to expand into international markets.
Altogether, the discussions reflected how the themes of Finance+ and AI+ are extending beyond individual sectors, creating new opportunities at the intersection of finance, technology, sustainability and industrial development.
Strengthening trusted and connected financial markets
As financial services continue to evolve alongside advanced digital technologies, the conference also explored the foundations needed to support innovation at scale. Discussions examined how market infrastructure, regulatory frameworks and cross-sector collaboration can help foster innovation while maintaining the trust, resilience and stability that underpin international financial centres.
The Chief Executive of the HKMA, Mr Eddie Yue, moderated a panel discussion on "Navigating the New Frontier: AI, Tokenisation, and Quantum in Global Finance". He highlighted the successful adoption of emerging technologies in financial services hinges on maintaining resilience and public trust. The HKMA continues to play the role as a facilitator, and sustained collaboration between the public and private sector is essential in fostering a dynamic ecosystem that advances innovation while upholding trust and responsibility. He also noted that Hong Kong is well placed to capitalise on new growth opportunities in fintech. Building on the good progress made under "Fintech 2030", banks and fintech firms can better harness data, AI, tokenisation and other emerging technologies.
During a panel discussion, the Chief Executive Officer of the SFC, Ms Julia Leung, set out the SFC's strategic vision for harnessing AI and tokenisation to strengthen Hong Kong's financial markets while upholding investor protection and market integrity. AI development and adoption in Hong Kong are growing rapidly in scale and speed. She advocated an agile and proportionate approach to agentic AI, with autonomy calibrated to the impact and reversibility of activities and robust safeguards for higher-risk applications. Ms Leung also underscored the need to reinforce cyber resilience as AI-enabled threats accelerate. On tokenisation, she said meaningful scale would come when it is embedded in market operations and delivers tangible benefits through greater efficiency, accessibility, liquidity and faster settlement.
The Chief Executive Officer of the IA, Mr Clement Cheung, emphasised the imperative role of insurance in reinforcing Hong Kong's position as an international innovation and technology centre. He also highlighted the IA's efforts in promoting responsible AI adoption in the insurance industry, in particular the encouraging progress of the AI Cohort Programme in respect of establishing insurers' AI Centres of Excellence in Hong Kong, strengthening talent pipeline and incubating R&D use cases. "In alignment with Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan, our AI strategy leverages our mature insurance market, strong institutional capabilities, robust regulatory framework and cross-border ecosystem. We will continue to foster a vibrant AI ecosystem to translate the national strategic priorities into sector-specific actions for greater resilience," said Mr Cheung.
Hong Kong - Powering long‑term global growth
A recurring theme throughout the conference was how technology is changing not only industries, but also reshaping the way businesses are built and scaled. Increasingly, companies are designed for regional and global markets from the outset, requiring access to capital, talent, infrastructure and trusted networks across multiple jurisdictions. Against this backdrop, Hong Kong's unique combination of financial strength, innovation capability and global connectivity can help businesses navigate this new landscape and scale with confidence.
The Director-General of Investment Promotion, Ms Alpha Lau, said, "Hong Kong FinTech Week x StartmeupHK 2026 has helped foster meaningful connections, partnerships and business opportunities that endure well beyond the close of the main conference. Under Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan, the city is consolidating and enhancing its status as an international financial centre, developing an international innovation and technology centre, and expanding its global co-operation network. InvestHK is committed to advancing that vision, matching global capital with the founders shaping what comes next, and giving both a runway into the Chinese Mainland, Asia and beyond."
While the main conference has concluded, HKFW x SMUHK 2026 continues across the city through November 6, with community and partner events extending industry discussions, investor engagement and business connections beyond the conference. The remaining programme also includes a two-day GBA Immersive Executive Tour to Shenzhen, offering participants first-hand exposure to one of the world's most dynamic innovation ecosystems.
Ends/Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Issued at HKT 11:06
Issued at HKT 11:06
NNNN
Photo
