Invest Hong Kong today  revealed details about Hong Kong FinTech Week 2020, which will take place virtually from November 2 to 6.

The Week highlights a golden opportunity to humanise fintech to reignite growth, build trust and financially empower society and business in the post-COVID-19 era. A global reset will put people first in the policy-setting agenda worldwide, with Asia emerging as the engine for global recovery. Themed “Humanising FinTech”, the week-long event will explore how fintech can unlock the power of financial services to drive positive impacts for society and business.

Hong Kong FinTech Week 2020, co-organised by InvestHK, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and the Insurance Authority (IA), is moving to a virtual platform this year, allowing global fintech businesses and experts to join and discuss key issues from anywhere in the world. The virtual platform will comprise five channels, focusing on the resilience and development of Hong Kong and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, future fintech trends and finance sector growth opportunities. It will also provide a reinvented virtual event experience with artificial intelligence-powered matchmaking, live chat networking opportunities and Hong Kong cultural side events. Finnovasia is the appointed event organiser.

This year’s Hong Kong FinTech Week is expected to attract more than 25,000 participants from over 70 economies and 350 speakers, along with over 500 exhibitors and over 30 delegations. Governments, regulators and finance leaders will join investors, founders and entrepreneurs from world-leading fintech players such as those listed below to discuss fintech trends and opportunities in the post-COVID-19 era:

• General Manager, Bank for International Settlements, Mr Agustin Carstens;
• Founder, Co-chairman and Co-Chief Investment Officer, Bridgewater Associates, Mr Ray Dalio;
• World leading investor and futurist Mr Ray Kurzweil;
• President, Tencent, Mr Martin Lau;
• Chairman and CEO, Sinovation Ventures, Dr Kai-Fu Lee;
• Founder, DST Global, Mr Yuri Milner;
• Investment expert and author, Mr Jim Rogers;
• Steward, Sequoia Capital; Founding and Managing Partner of Sequoia Capital China, Mr Neil Shen;
• Co-CEO, Ping An Group, Ms Jessica Tan; and
• Governor, People’s Bank of China, Mr Gang Yi.

CEOs and leaders from the HKMA, the SFC, the IA, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, AMTD Group, Blackrock, Fidelity International, HSBC, JPMorgan Chase & Co, Nasdaq, Standard Chartered, WeBank and more will also participate in the event.

Asia’s fintech community is facing a breakthrough moment. The pandemic has condensed years of digital adoption into a matter of months, and Asia is a region that is recovering the fastest from the pandemic, giving companies a head start to explore new opportunities. Meanwhile Mainland China and Southeast Asia are home to the world’s largest unbanked populations, the largest millennial populations and the biggest fintech markets globally.

The Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK, Mr Stephen Phillips, said,

“The new normal has provided a catalyst for accelerated digital transformation. Fintech is the enabler for a new era of financial services, empowering society and businesses in a time of critical need with greater financial reach, inclusion and access. Hong Kong, as one of the world’s major fintech hubs, is reigniting growth in Asia and driving positive change for society and businesses.”

Hong Kong’s resilient world-class fintech ecosystem

The Head of FinTech at InvestHK, Mr King Leung, said,

“Hong Kong FinTech Week 2020 also highlights the strength and resilience of Hong Kong’s fintech ecosystem, which continues to provide leading fintech ventures with free-flowing capital to scale, world-class talent, regulatory collaboration and the ideal testing ground to prove the value of their innovation to consumers and businesses. The event itself is business-driven for potential deals and partnerships.”

Hong Kong’s fintech strength is built on the consolidated support of committed government institutions and world-class regulatory bodies who share a singular vision for FinTech’s transformative potential.

The Chief Fintech Officer of the HKMA, Mr Nelson Chow, said,

“Hong Kong has a thriving fintech scene: a highly integrated network of start-ups and investors, a large market of technology-ready consumers hungry for innovative solutions, and a host of conducive fintech initiatives. Besides, the city’s connectivity with other Asian capital cities and proximity to Mainland China have made it the centre of Asia’s vibrant fintech ecosystem. Hong Kong FinTech Week is going to be held virtually for the first time, and the HKMA looks forward to meeting fintech enthusiasts from all around the world.”

In addition to multi-track conferences with prominent speakers, the event will also feature the FintechHK Global Final, the Global Fast Track Programme, exhibitions, a deal floor, networking events, demo shows, masterclasses and more. Global audiences can attend the virtual event from anywhere. Selected highlights and keynote sessions of Hong Kong FinTech Week will also be streamed to the Mainland Chinese audience through Sina Finance and 36Kr.