This week’s version of Finovate World critiques the most recent fintech information from Hong Kong.
RD Applied sciences raises $40 million upfront of stablecoin licensing
Hong Kong-based stablecoin infrastructure agency RD Applied sciences has secured $40 million in Collection A2 funding. The spherical was collectively led by a consortium of each new and present traders. Taking part within the funding had been ZA World, China Harbour, Vibrant Enterprise, and Hivemind Capital. HSG, Everlasting Digital, CMSC Companions, and Guotai Junan Worldwide Non-public Fairness Fund had been additionally concerned within the funding. RD Applied sciences raised $40 million in a Collection A1 spherical in September 2024.
The funding comes as Hong Kong’s stablecoin licensing regime takes impact. This regime gives a framework for stablecoin issuers, together with the mandatory licensing necessities as mandated by the Hong Kong Financial Authority (HKMA) for firms looking for to concern fiat-backed stablecoins. The brand new Stablecoins Ordinance additionally requires these companies to take care of correct reserve asset administration, strong stabilization mechanisms, and the capability to course of redemption requests at par worth beneath odd circumstances. Firms additionally should adjust to anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) rules in addition to keep compulsory threat administration, disclosure, and auditing requirements.
Based in 2020, RD Applied sciences gives know-how to assist bridge the Web2 and Web3 worlds. An early advocate of stablecoins, RD Applied sciences drives accountable and sustainable innovation in digital finance through open networks, real-world use instances, and industry-wide collaborations. The corporate participated within the stablecoin sandbox launched by the HKMA earlier this yr, and is growing HKDR, a stablecoin backed 1:1 by the Hong Kong Greenback, through its subsidiary RD InnoTech.
“We’re thrilled with the passage of the Stablecoins Ordinance, which units a transparent and strong framework for the sustainable development of Hong Kong’s digital asset ecosystem as a world monetary hub,” RD Applied sciences Rita Liu stated earlier this yr when the stablecoin laws was handed. “As pioneers within the stablecoin house, with RD InnoTech Restricted’s participation within the HKMA’s sandbox, we’re devoted to constructing belief by aligning with these rules to ship safe and modern options for digital asset buying and selling, cross-border funds, and tokenization of actual world belongings.”
As a part of the funding, RD Applied sciences and Hong Kong-based digital financial institution ZA Financial institution inked a brand new partnership by way of which the 2 firms will examine regulated stablecoin use instances in monetary companies.
Airwallex Launches Yield in Hong Kong
Worldwide funds and enterprise monetary platform Airwallex has launched its Airwallex Yield resolution in Hong Kong. Airwallex Yield is designed to boost treasury administration by enabling companies to earn returns on their suplus funds held in multi-currency accounts. There aren’t any lock-up durations with Airwallex Yield, which gives entry to extremely rated cash market funds comparable to these managed by companies like Fullerton Fund Administration and Goldman Sachs Asset Administration.
The launch of the brand new resolution, which additionally went stay in Singapore just lately, makes Airwallex the primary international funds establishment to safe a Securities and Future Fee (SFC) license for asset administration companies in Hong Kong. Yield at present allows firms to generate returns of as much as 3.97% on multi-currency balances through discretionary portfolio administration companies. Airwallex additionally has partnered with JP Morgan Asset Administration to leverage short-duration cash market funds with the intention to present liquid returns with out minimal lock-up durations. Launched in Australia within the fall of 2023, Yield reached greater than $67.3 million in funds beneath administration.
“We’re excited to announce the complete launch of Airwallex Yield to companies in Hong Kong,” Airwallex Asia-Pacific Normal Supervisor Arnold Chan stated. “We’ve seen rising demand from companies in search of simpler methods to maximise the worth of their capital. In right this moment’s dynamic market atmosphere, companies are actively looking for methods to make their capital work tougher. Airwallex Yield offers them a seamless and versatile approach to earn returns on their balances, all from throughout the Airwallex platform. We’re not simply seeking to assist companies profit from their surplus balances—we additionally wish to encourage them to carry new funds to Airwallex due to the worth Yield gives.”
Chocolate Finance, WeBank, Syfe Announce Hong Kong Entry and Enlargement
Quite a lot of fintechs have introduced plans to enter or develop their presence in Hong Kong of late.
First, Singapore-based Chocolate Finance has secured regulatory approval to being operations in Hong Kong. The information comes because the financial savings app introduced that it has added $19.4 million in Collection A+ funding to its coffers courtesy of a spherical led by Nikko Asset Administration. The spherical additionally featured participation from present traders Peak XV, Prosus, and Saison Capital, together with firm founder Walter de Oude. Together with the funding information, Chocolate Finance introduced a restricted time Double Referral Program from July 22 to August 31, providing further rewards and limited-edition merchandise.
Based in 2022, Chocolate Finance delivers returns of as much as 3% on savers’ first ($15,500) SGD 20k, 2.7% on the subsequent ($23,250) SGD 30k, and a pair of.7% on any further quantity.
Subsequent up, Chinese language digital financial institution WeBank has gained approval to arrange its Hong Kong subsidiary, which is able to handle the establishment’s abroad operations there and provide companies to companies coated by the Belt and Highway Initiative.
WeBank was launched in 2014 by Tencent in partnership with a handful of different Chinese language firms. The monetary establishment is the biggest online-only lender in China, and is likely one of the world’s largest unicorns with a valuation of $32.4 billion (235 billion yuan).
WeBank’s Hong Kong subsidiary is anticipated to research potential alternatives in fintech comparable to real-world asset tokenization. The agency may even be part of Hong Kong Financial Authority’s “structure neighborhood” for Undertaking Ensemble, the HKMA’s wholesale central financial institution digital forex initiative.
Lastly, Chocolate Finance isn’t the one Asian firm leveraging the event of a current funding to announce elevated engagement with Hong Kong. Singapore-based digital wealth platform Syfe just lately introduced that its $80 million Collection C spherical in June will assist gas the agency’s regional enlargement, together with additional inroads into Hong Kong.
“This fund elevate comes at an thrilling time as we develop our presence throughout the area and develop our choices,” Syfe Founder and CEO Dhruv Arora stated. “In our markets of Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia, almost half of all adults are within the ‘mass prosperous’ phase, that means those that have between a couple of hundred to some million {dollars} in investable belongings, and this phase is rising quick. As a platform constructed within the area, for the area, we now have a deep understanding of what these traders want. We’re in an ideal place to serve them with customized, accessible, and high-quality wealth administration at scale.”
Syfe will use the capital, which incorporates an all-equity C2 spherical of $53 million, partially to gas its enlargement in Hong Kong. In an announcement, the corporate famous that its enterprise in Hong Kong has “doubled in dimension” because the starting of the yr. Syfe at present has greater than $10 billion in belongings beneath administration as of end-of-year 2024 and has raised a complete of $132 million in funding. The corporate was based in 2019.
Right here is our have a look at fintech innovation world wide.
Sub-Saharan Africa
Orange Cash and BaaS fintech JUMO have teamed as much as provide credit score companies in Africa.
MoneyBadger and Peach Funds partnered to make it simpler for retailers to simply accept Bitcoin and different cryptocurrencies.
Forbes appeared on the connection between African cellular cash service, M-Pesa, and Western-based companies comparable to Venmo and PayPal.
Central and Japanese Europe
Center East and Northern Africa
Libyan Islamic Financial institution partnered with Backbase to modernize its shopper banking operations.
Israel-based tax preparation platform April raised $38 million in Collection B funding.
Egypt’s Midbank introduced the completion of its core banking migration with Temenos.
Central and Southern Asia
India’s Esaf Financial institution turned to SugarCRM for relationship administration.
TBC Uzbekistan Fintech earned a spot on the CNBC and Statista roster of the world’s prime fintech firms, the primary Uzbek firm to take action.
Zaggle Pay as you go Ocean Companies acquired Indian fintech startup Rio.Cash.
Latin America and the Caribbean
Brazilian monetary infrastructure agency QI Tech secured $63 million in a Collection B extension spherical.
PitchBook checked out seven fintech startups driving digital banking in Mexico.
Fee options supplier Boku was granted a Fee Establishment license from the Central Financial institution of Brazil.
Asia-Pacific
Photograph by Florian Wehde on Unsplash
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