At Hong Kong FinTech Week 2025, China’s financial policymakers and industry leaders delivered a clear and unified message: the nation’s fintech future will be built on the deep integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and regulatory innovation.
Lu Lei, Deputy Governor of the People’s Bank of China (PBoC), unveiled the groundbreaking “AI + Finance” framework — a national blueprint designed to embed digital intelligence into every layer of China’s financial infrastructure. More than a policy initiative, it represents a structural shift toward intelligent governance, efficient resource allocation, and greater financial inclusion across the country.
“AI is no longer a peripheral technology,” Lu said. “It is now a production factor in finance — capable of reshaping decision-making, risk assessment, and product design at every level.”
AI as the New Engine of Financial Reform
The PBoC’s new approach redefines AI as a core driver of financial modernization. Lu described intelligent systems capable of reasoning and dialogue as the “financial brain” that will guide future institutions — optimizing operations, accelerating innovation, and improving customer service with unprecedented precision.
The Bank has also launched pilot programs on “financial data elements,” combining diverse datasets from banks, insurers, and financial platforms to generate panoramic insights into markets and user behavior. This initiative supports China’s broader Data Security Management Measures and cross-border data-flow guidelines, creating a secure yet dynamic infrastructure for the use of financial data.
By transforming data into a key economic input, the PBoC aims to unlock new efficiencies, encourage innovation in product design, and ensure that technology directly enhances national financial resilience.
Hong Kong’s Strengthened Role in China’s Fintech Ecosystem
Hong Kong’s leadership reaffirmed its vital role in China’s fintech transformation. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu highlighted the city’s sustained growth as a regional financial hub, noting that its fintech ecosystem has expanded to over 1,200 companies — a 10% increase from last year.
Under the government’s policy-led innovation model, initiatives such as Project Ensemble and the supervisory sandbox have become testing grounds for AI- and data-driven financial products. These frameworks combine regulatory rigor with open experimentation, aligning with China’s goal of harmonizing innovation and stability.
Lee also announced new measures to strengthen Renminbi settlement systems, attract more technology-focused listings, and support capital formation for family offices and funds. By doing so, Hong Kong reinforces its position as a trusted bridge for implementing China’s financial modernisation strategy under the “one country, two systems” framework.
Building an Integrated Fintech Infrastructure
Lu Lei also announced deeper collaboration among the People’s Bank of China, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), and the Macau Monetary Authority. The integration of their regulatory sandboxes allows for joint testing of cross-border fintech solutions — forming a federated innovation network that strengthens financial connectivity within Greater China.
This growing synergy is visible in multiple infrastructure breakthroughs. The Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) now connects 131 Hong Kong institutions, while a unified QR code payment gateway — linking UnionPay, Alipay, and WeChat Pay — has simplified daily transactions across the Greater Bay Area.
The Cross-Border Payment Connect platform and integration of the digital yuan with Hong Kong’s FPS system mark further progress in seamless cross-border settlements. These advancements demonstrate China’s ability to combine policy innovation with technological precision, creating a financial network that is both intelligent and inclusive.
Digital Currency and Intelligent Settlement
Lu reaffirmed China’s leadership in central bank digital currency (CBDC) development. He emphasized that years of research and large-scale trials have positioned the digital yuan (e-CNY) as a mature, secure, and scalable platform.
The m-CBDC Bridge, co-led by the PBoC and HKMA, continues to pioneer multi-currency blockchain settlement among participating central banks. The connection between Hong Kong’s payment systems and the digital RMB platform further strengthens the integration of digital finance across the region — making transactions faster, more transparent, and more accessible to residents and enterprises.
This progress demonstrates China’s growing influence in shaping global standards for digital finance and its commitment to a future where cross-border payment systems operate with greater intelligence and interoperability.
Aligning Policy, Industry, and Capital
Following Lu’s keynote, a high-level panel featuring Christopher Hui, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury; Eric Jing, Chairman of Ant Group; and Fred Hu, Chairman and CEO of Primavera Capital, discussed how policy and industry can move from experimentation to full-scale adoption.
Hui introduced Hong Kong’s Digital Asset Policy Statement 2.0, built around four pillars — Legal compliance, Expansion, Advancement, and Talent (L-E-A-T). He noted that over 75% of Hong Kong asset managers are already testing or using generative AI, underscoring the rapid institutional adoption of intelligent tools. “Innovation must be measurable, structured, and guided by compliance,” Hui said.
Eric Jing emphasized that AI must enhance both risk management and customer experience, citing Ant Group’s collaboration with HKMA on Project Ensemble, which achieved real-time, tokenised asset settlement. He highlighted that regulatory partnership and cross-sector collaboration are essential for sustainable fintech growth.
Fred Hu focused on the investment frontier, pointing to AI-driven wealth management, green finance, and cross-border payments as major opportunities. He also called for stronger coordination on financial data sharing to maximize AI’s potential, stressing that Hong Kong’s open yet secure environment makes it an ideal hub for inter-regional data cooperation.
From Innovation to Institutional Strength
Hong Kong FinTech Week 2025 marked a defining moment in China’s fintech journey. The discussion has evolved from product-based innovation to systemic transformation — where AI becomes an institutional foundation rather than a technological experiment.
The PBoC’s “AI + Finance” strategy represents a new phase in China’s modernization: embedding intelligent systems into the governance of finance itself. This shift reflects not only China’s technological maturity but also its confidence in setting new standards for global financial development.
For Hong Kong, the task ahead is one of trusted execution — ensuring that AI-driven finance upholds the highest levels of transparency, compliance, and reliability.
China’s integration of AI, data, and regulatory innovation now stands as a model for the intelligent economy — demonstrating how national strategy, technological leadership, and institutional trust can jointly define the future of finance.