Everything you need to know about the upcoming 2021 Hong Kong FinTech Week

The sixth annual Hong Kong FinTech Week is slated to take place from November 1-5 2021 with hundreds of speakers from different countries coming together to discuss and promote the rise and evolution of the FinTech landscape in Hong Kong and China.

Organized by Finnovasia alongside InvestHK, The Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Insurance Authority and Securities and Futures Commission, this event sees the culmination of many different people involved in the FinTech space, ranging from aspiring FinTech enthusiasts to chief executive officers (CEOs) of major FinTech and banking companies.

The event description reads: “The Hong Kong FinTech Week is an annual event led by Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) and also driven by the public and private sectors. It brings together international FinTech companies, startups and stakeholders who are looking to expand and scale their business in Hong Kong, China and Asia, along with regulators, entrepreneurs, investors, service providers and the FinTech community from Hong Kong and around the world.”

Last year, the event was forced to go virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, the event turned out to be a massive success, accumulating more than 1.2 million views across the week together with more than 350 speakers, 500+ exhibitors, 300+ international banks and 4700+ companies attending the virtual event.

Although COVID-19 restrictions are slowly easing up, restrictions are still in place in many parts of the world. This year’s event will be “the first FinTech event combining virtual and physical features in the region.” The physical event will be held in Halls 3B and 3C at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. To cater those who will be unable to attend the event physically, there will be virtual events held, including a livestream of the physical conference taking place in Hong Kong.

The physical event will feature a two-day conference featuring the top 250 speakers in the industry from academia to industry leaders. Some notable speakers from last year’s conference include founder and co-chairman of Bridgewater Associates, Ray Dalio; Nasdaq president and CEO, Adena Friedman; group chief executive of HSBC Holdings PLC, Noel Quinn; president of Tencent Holdings Ltd., Martin Lau; and founding and managing partner of Sequoia China Investment Management LLP, Neil Shen, among many others.

Alongside the conference, there will also be the FinTech Expo, which “will gather the most innovative technology solution providers for financial services locally.” HK FinTech week also provides networking opportunities through their “diverse satellite activities,” which “allow participants to meet with like-minded people across Hong Kong and Asia.”

Unlike the previous year’s event, the organizers of this year’s Hong Kong FinTech Week promise a better virtual experience for those who won’t be able to physically attend the event. Similar to last year, there will be a virtual conference this year, but according to the organizers, “the virtual conference has completely reinvented the previous event experience, providing our audience with access online anywhere and anytime.” There will also be a virtual exhibition held for international startups who are wanting to get exposure but unable to attend the physical event. These startups will be able to “showcase the best of [their] product or solution to over 17,000 attendees from 100+ economies to increase brand awareness and connect with potential clients and investors.”

Those looking to scale their FinTech business in Hong Kong or Asia can also join the “Global Fast Track 2021.” The Global Fast Track 2021, as outlined by the organizers of the event, “is a program connecting local, Mainland and overseas Fintechs with Hong Kong corporates, investors and stakeholders to explore scaling opportunities in Hong Kong, Greater Bay Area and Asia.” Successful applicants will have the opportunity to meet with and pitch to senior executives from Corporate and Investor Champions in Hong Kong by signing up for their program.

Although Hong Kong is already known as Asia’s financial capital, the purpose of this event, like previous years, is to demonstrate “that Hong Kong is one of the major FinTech hubs in the world.” FinTech is a growing bubble that has garnered significant traction over the recent years globally, whether it be from the rise of cryptocurrency to blockchain development to digital payment solutions to virtual banks.

With Hong Kong being a major financial capital of the world, and China being one of the largest economies in the world, FinTech development has seemed to surge in Asia significantly over the last decade. In a fact sheet published by InvestHK, Hong Kong is “home to over 600 fintech companies and startups.” Hong Kong also “ has one of the highest consumer fintech adoption rates in the world, ranking above markets including France, USA and Japan.” Mainland China is the world’s top consumer market for FinTech, and 51% of the FinTech companies globally either operate “or plan to expand in the Greater Bay Area.”

Whether you’re a FinTech enthusiast looking to garner deeper insight into the FinTech landscape or wanting to pursue a career in the FinTech industry, this event is the perfect event to get your foot in the door in exploring this rising industry. Book your tickets here now, and use the code “TMS10″ at checkout to receive 10% off.

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