Overview
- Bill Winters told Hong Kong FinTech Week that nearly all transactions will eventually settle on blockchains and described the shift as a complete rewiring of finance.
- Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission said licensed exchanges may use shared order books to tap global liquidity under safeguards such as pre‑funding, delivery‑versus‑payment, unified surveillance and client‑asset protections.
- Standard Chartered’s Hong Kong unit formed a joint venture with Animoca Brands and HKT to pursue an HKD‑backed stablecoin, with the trio participating in the HKMA’s stablecoin issuer sandbox.
- The bank has expanded its digital‑asset services, launching institutional spot trading in bitcoin and ether in July 2025 and securing a Luxembourg license for crypto custody earlier this year.
- Winters said the transition to digital money requires years of experimentation and collaboration, highlighting HKD stablecoins and tokenized deposits as potential tools for cross‑border trade.