Hong Kong FinTech Week 2024: A Milestone Year, Looking Ahead to a Decade of Innovation

Looking back at HKFTW 2024, what an amazing experience! A month later, we're still feeling the energy from those incredible few days. 37,000 attendees, 800 inspiring speakers, and over 700 sponsors and exhibitors from more than 100 economies — the scale of the event was truly impressive. But it was the people, the conversations, the shared sense of purpose that really made it special. Connecting with leaders from across Mainland China, Southeast Asia, the US, and the Middle East was a highlight, and we're excited to see how those relationships develop.

The whole Finoverse team poured their hearts into making this event reflect what we truly believe in: People, Impact, and Experiences. We’re really proud of what we achieved this year — expanding to eight stages and seven zones, prioritizing gender balance and diversity, and teaming up with new partners who get what we're trying to do. With both HKFTW and Finoverse hitting our 10-year mark next year, this record-breaking event felt like a huge milestone.

And you could feel the buzz from the moment the doors opened! Having industry giants like our Strategic Partner, HSBC; Themed Sponsors like Bank of China, Crypto.com, and Standard Chartered Bank; and Diamond Sponsors including 1inch, Citi, and Circle — along with first-time Diamond Sponsors Tencent and Ant Group — was incredible. It really solidified HKFTW as a major global hub for FinTech innovation.

We were also proud to have welcomed over 30 delegations from Mainland China and around the world, including Korea, Singapore, Germany, France, Italy, the US, Canada, the UAE, and newcomers like Denmark, Turkey, and South Africa. Having such a diverse group really cemented Hong Kong's role as the "super-connector."

Eight Themed Forums Drive Deep Dives into the Future of Finance

The heart of the action was at our two-day main conference (Oct 28-29). Guided by the principles of "Wuxin" and "Yinyang," we delved into the future of finance across eight insightful themed forums. From the transformative power of AI and Web3 to the crucial role of Green FinTech, we explored the key issues shaping our industry together.

This year’s event was further enriched by the exceptional caliber of our speakers. We were honored to host China tech giants including Ant Group, Baichuan AI, Du Xiaoman Technology, Huawei Cloud, JINGDONG Coinlink Technology, SenseTime, Tencent, and Xiaomi Corporation, alongside prominent global industry leaders representing diverse sectors, to share insights focused on the China market while also providing a broader global outlook on industry trends.

Beyond the Conference: Connecting the FinTech Community

But HKFTW is more than just a conference; it’s about building genuine connections. We believe that the human element is at the heart of FinTech. That’s why we created a week-long experience that extended beyond the conference halls. Whether it was exploring the Greater Bay Area together, sharing stories at our VIP night, enjoying the camaraderie of the FinTech Harbour Run, or feeling the electrifying energy of the Web3x3 Basketball Tournament, we created memories and bonds that we’ll always cherish.

Making a Real-World Impact: Beyond the Buzzwords

A personal highlight for many of us was the Web3x3 basketball tournament. It was awesome partnering with the FinTech Basketball League (FTBL), Hashkey Group, Hillen Sports, M1 Group, and Wilson Sporting Goods to make it happen. Held during the Blockchain & Digital Assets Forum, the tournament brought together 20 gender-balanced teams – over 100 finance, tech, and Web3 professionals – for some friendly competition and a lot of fun. And we were super happy to donate the proceeds to the InspiringHK Sports Foundation to support underprivileged kids in sports.

We also wanted to make sure we were doing our part for the planet. We partnered with a local startup, Breer, for a sustainable craft beer, Bolo Bao IPA, brewed from surplus bread. Plus, we gave surplus materials a new life by making our event tote bags from recycled plastic and our badges from recycled elephant dung – pretty cool, right?

Finoverse at the Heart of Hong Kong FinTech Week

The Finoverse team felt incredibly proud to be at the center of it all, facilitating vital conversations and championing innovation. Our CEO, Anthony Sar, had the honor of moderating sessions with industry leaders like Circle's Jeremy Allaire and TBC Bank's Oliver Hughes. And it was fantastic to see the Global Fast Track (GFT) program flourish, connecting 500 startups from 56 economies with investors and corporates, culminating in the inspiring victories of WeavAir (Singapore) and Datalist (Shanghai).

HKFTW 2024 was a milestone, a celebration, and a testament to the power of collaboration and shared vision. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for being a part of this incredible journey. We can't wait to celebrate the 10th anniversaries of Finoverse and Hong Kong FinTech Week with you all in 2025!