InvestHK Strengthens Business Ties with Japan, Boosting Web3 and Fintech Opportunities

Invest Hong Kong strengthens Web3 and fintech ties between Hong Kong and Japan

​Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) has successfully concluded an impactful visit to Japan, deepening business ties between the two places. The delegation's primary objectives were to promote two-way business opportunities in Web3 and fintech, and to facilitate strategic technology investments that benefit bothplaces.

From June 30 to July 4, Senior Vice President of Fintech at InvestHK Ms Pauline Fan led a delegation of 16 Hong Kong companies, organisations, universities and a family office to Japan. These included Hong Kong Baptist University, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Web3 Harbour. Meetings and events were held in Osaka and Kyoto together with partners in Japan, including HashPort, Headline Asia, and IVC.

In Osaka on June 30 and July 1, delegates engaged with key players in innovation and digital transformation. They met with members of the Osaka Prefectural Government, the Osaka Digital Exchange, the Japan External Trade Organization, SBI Corporation, Plug and Play Japan, the NTT West Corporate Innovation Center and more. These meetings facilitated meaningful exchanges and explorations of new business partnerships and investments. The momentum continued in Kyoto from July 2 to 4 at IVS 2025, the largest start-up conference in Japan, organised by Headline Asia and IVC. Industry leaders and emerging start-ups exchanged insights on fundraising, business partnerships, and breakthrough trends in Web3 and more.

Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK Mr Arnold Lau said "This delegation marks a significant milestone in solidifying the collaboration between Hong Kong and Japan in innovation and technology. With a strong influx of innovative ideas and investment flows between both sides, we are entering a pioneering era where groundbreaking technologies in Web3 and fintech are poised to redefine the future of digital economies."

This delegation visit came at a perfect time following the Policy Statement 2.0 on the Development of Digital Assets in Hong Kong, issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government on June 26. It reinforces the HKSAR Government's commitment to establishing Hong Kong as a global hub for innovation in the digital asset (DA) field. The statement introduces the "LEAP" framework: Legal and regulatory streamlining, expanding the suite of tokenised products, advancing use cases and cross-sectoral collaboration, and people and partnership development. It sets out a vision for a trusted and innovative DA ecosystem that prioritises risk management and investor protection, while delivering concrete benefits to the real economy and financial markets.

"Our dedicated team at InvestHK is ready to support players in the DA ecosystem, connecting prospective DA service providers with banks and professional services to facilitate their business setup and expansion in Hong Kong," Mr Lau added.

Two-way business success driving the agenda forward

Japanese firm Zaiko was the first company to establish a presence in Hong Kong through a similar delegation to Japan in 2024, facilitated by InvestHK. As a key portfolio company of Headline Asia, Zaiko serves as a platform that connects creators directly with people through digital events, video streaming, and data analytics. This inward investment exemplifies the potential for Japanese technology expertise to seamlessly merge with the vibrant economic sectors of Hong Kong, such as creative and event industries.

Waffo established a Hong Kong office in 2023 as its strategic hub for Asia and immediately joined the 2024 InvestHK Japan delegation. The company uncovered new opportunities and successfully entered the Japanese market by opening representative offices, collaborating with multiple Japanese clients and launching innovative cross-border payment and risk-management solutions. Leveraging Hong Kong as its launch pad, Waffo once again participated in this year's delegation to further accelerate its growth in Japan.

The Goldian Group is a diversified conglomerate headquartered in Hong Kong with a strong background in real estate development. In recent years, its family office has strategically pivoted towards the fast-evolving field of digital assets. With the support and facilitation from InvestHK, the Group has gained access to cutting-edge market intelligence, advanced fintech applications and high-potential business opportunities in Hong Kong's financial ecosystem. Leveraging these advantages, the Goldian Group joined this year's delegation and formally launched a real estate tokenisation initiative in Japan, marking a key step in cross-border digital asset innovation and regional collaboration.

With these achievements, InvestHK's latest delegation clearly illustrates the rising synergy between Hong Kong and Japan's Web3 and fintech industries, a collaboration that promises a new chapter of ingenuity, growth, and mutual prosperity. As both markets continue to harness innovation and investment, the future looks brighter than ever for such two-way partnerships in the digital economy.

Invest Hong Kong strengthens Web3 and fintech ties between Hong Kong and Japan Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Invest Hong Kong strengthens Web3 and fintech ties between Hong Kong and Japan Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Invest Hong Kong strengthens Web3 and fintech ties between Hong Kong and Japan Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Invest Hong Kong strengthens Web3 and fintech ties between Hong Kong and Japan Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Invest Hong Kong strengthens Web3 and fintech ties between Hong Kong and Japan Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected heroin worth about $1.1 million at airport

Hong Kong Customs today (May 25) detected a drug trafficking case at Hong Kong International Airport. About 1.9 kilograms of suspected heroin, with an estimated market value of about $1.1 million, and one duty-not-paid cigarette were seized.

A 46-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia today. During customs clearance, Customs officer found the batch of suspected heroin concealed in a wooden box, and the duty-not-paid cigarette in his carry-on baggage. The man was subsequently arrested.

The arrested person has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug, one count of possession of dutiable goods and one count of failing to declare to a member of the Customs and Excise Service the possession of dutiable goods. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Court tomorrow (May 26).

Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.

Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected heroin worth about $1.1 million at airport Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected heroin worth about $1.1 million at airport Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases