Mr. Paul Chan, the Financial Secretary, recently attended the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. He stated that the attendees generally held a positive outlook on the economic development of both the Mainland and Hong Kong, a significant shift in attitude compared to the past few years.
Mr. Paul Chan attended the World Economic Forum 2026, Photo source: blog of Mr. Paul Chan
In his blog post, Mr. Paul Chan stated that he and other Hong Kong representatives from sectors including public organizations, finance, and innovation and technology, etc., all actively briefed leaders from around the world on Hong Kong's latest developments and distinctive advantages. He said that the leaders have shown great interest in Hong Kong's steady and positive development prospects. The attendees generally held a very positive view of the economic development and prospects of both the Mainland and Hong Kong, believing that Hong Kong, as a “Super Connector” and “Super Value-Adder” connecting China and the world, will benefit from such unique roles and create new opportunities in the future.
Mr. Paul Chan met with Mr. Mark Carney, the Prime Minister of Canada, Photo source: blog of Mr. Paul Chan
Mr. Paul Chan pointed out that over the past year, everyone has witnessed the escalation of unilateralism and hegemonism. Multiple political and business leaders he met at the Forum unanimously expressed the need for concerted efforts to uphold multilateralism and resolve issues through dialogue and cooperation. He also mentioned that a consensus was made for the other issue at the Forum, namely, the direction of technological revolution. The attendees regarded the mastering and development of innovative technologies as a "life-or-death factor" for maintaining economic dynamism and competitiveness. For instance, how to utilize artificial intelligence to support economic development and how to address the employment challenges brought about by AI development were key points of the Forum's discussions.
Mr. Paul Chan met with Mr. Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia, Photo source: blog of Mr. Paul Chan
Mr. Paul Chan believes that it is essential to remain highly vigilant about geopolitical risks and strengthen awareness of potential crises. Moreover, the new opportunities brought about by the country's expansion of high-level two-way opening-up and promotion of high-quality development amidst global major changes should be seized, as well as actively utilizing Hong Kong's unique advantages of "connecting with the Mainland and the world", creating a broader space for its own development, and contributing to promoting international dialogue and cooperation.
CREGIS, a global leader in enterprise-grade digital asset solutions, today shared its insights regarding the 2026-27 Budget. Shawn Yan, Founder and CEO of CREGIS, welcomes the government's decision to include digital assets within the scope of tax concessions and affirms the importance of the licensing regime for custody service providers in establishing market security standards. Furthermore, he believes the application of stablecoins is set to accelerate capital flow and create high-paying technical roles for professionals.
CREGIS
Optimized Tax Regime: Driving Digital Asset Allocation for Family Offices
Shawn Yan noted that the Budget’s proposal to optimize the tax system by exempting digital assets as eligible investments for family offices provides a powerful incentive for global capital to settle. "Our experience serving family offices proves that when institutional capital enters the Web3 space, the primary concerns are compliance and the security of asset sovereignty," Yan stated.
He added that underlying management strategies such as MPC and HSM (Hardware Security Modules) provided by enterprise wallets offer family office clients a more robust system, allowing them to benefit from policy dividends while mitigating non-transactional risks.
Institutionalizing the Licensing Regime: Enhancing Transparency and Security
The Budget outlined a licensing regime for digital asset custody service providers—a move Yan describes as a milestone for industry maturity. "Many clients have reflected that traditional custody models may suffer from a lack of transparency and 'Single Point of Failure' risks," Yan observed.
He believes that by institutionalizing technical benchmarks and requiring custodians to use segregated accounts, the government is aligning with the logic of "layered management" and "compliant risk control," helping to establish a universally recognized security standard.
Photo source: Design image of Getty
Stablecoin Issuance: Building an All-Weather Settlement Ecosystem
Regarding the announcement that the first batch of stablecoin licenses will be issued next month, Yan expects an enthusiastic entry of institutional-grade clients. Stablecoins are more than just payment tools; they are the "standard protocol" for financial settlement. "Stablecoins significantly accelerate capital turnover. On this track, CREGIS's infrastructure solutions help enterprises implement authorization approval flows similar to traditional banking, ensuring that stablecoin settlements remain efficient while meeting all regulatory and compliance requirements."
Empowering Talent: High-Value Technical Roles for the Next Generation
The compliance of digital assets will facilitate the entry of university students into the global FinTech industry. The licensing regime solidifies the industry’s legal status, creating high-paying roles such as Blockchain Security Auditors and Compliance Analysts. As multinational tech firms establish hubs, local youth will gain exposure to advanced Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). CREGIS remains committed to training local talent, as a background in a compliant jurisdiction will ensure students are recognized by global enterprises.
Photo source: Design Image
