News Heat Trend
Related news
Crypto allocation drops to 6%, but 45% of high-net-worth investors still plan to increase holdings, according to HSBC
HSBC's "Affluent Investor Snapshot 2026" report shows a survey of nearly 10,000 high-net-worth investors globally. In 2026, the average allocation to crypto assets stands at 6%, down 1 percentage point year-on-year. However, 45% of respondents still plan to increase their allocation over the next 12 months, while 40% intend to maintain it. In Singapore and Malaysia, investors' crypto asset allocations are 5% and 6%, respectively, both flat year-on-year. Over the same period, global cash allocation has fallen to 19%, with funds continuing to shift towards stocks, gold, and alternative investments.
Affluent
Affluent
Snapshot
HSBC Survey: Singapore and Malaysia Wealthy Investors' Crypto Allocation Remains Stable, Funds Shift to Gold and Alternative Assets
According to e27, the "2026 Affluent Investor Snapshot" survey released by HSBC shows that the average cryptocurrency allocation for global affluent and high-net-worth investors is 6%, a slight decrease of 1 percentage point compared to 2025. Singapore investors' crypto allocation remained unchanged at 5%, and Malaysia remained unchanged at 6%, with no significant signs of exit. Meanwhile, investors in both regions are actively reducing cash holdings—13% of respondents in Singapore and 16% in Malaysia plan to reduce cash allocation within the next 12 months, shifting to increase alternative assets such as fixed deposits, gold, and private equity. Malaysian investors' interest in gold is particularly prominent, with the proportion planning to increase gold holdings rising by 20 percentage points; Singapore investors are more inclined towards fixed deposits (+18 percentage points) and alternative investments (+15 percentage points). Conducted between January and February 2026, this survey covered a total of 9,993 investors across 10 global markets, with a minimum investable asset threshold for respondents of USD 100,000.
Affluent
Affluent
Meanwhile
Snapshot
Stable
Stable
HSBC plans to recruit 100 AI experts in Singapore
According to The Straits Times, HSBC plans to recruit 100 AI experts and 100 wealth management client managers in Singapore, and will establish its first global AI center of excellence there.
UK Tokenized Government Bond Plan Advances, On-Chain Cash Settlement Becomes Key Bottleneck
According to CoinDesk, the UK government plans to complete the first tokenized sovereign bond issuance tests through HSBC and the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) in early 2027, but industry experts point out that on-chain cash settlement issues remain the core obstacle hindering the implementation of the plan. Varun Paul, Global Head of Central Banks and Market Infrastructure at Fireblocks, stated that the project has secured sufficient institutional support, and a change in government (UK Prime Minister changing from Keir Starmer to Andy Burnham) is unlikely to reverse it, and tokenized government bonds are expected to boost market demand given the UK's current debt scale of nearly 3 trillion pounds (approximately 4 trillion USD). Jannah Patchay, Founder of Markets Evolution, pointed out that tokenized bond technology has been validated for nearly seven years since Santander Bank issued the first tokenized sterling corporate bond in 2019, but the absence of on-chain counterparty risk-free settlement assets has remained unresolved. She called on regulators to promote the use of compliant sterling stablecoins to provide an on-chain settlement mechanism. Currently, the global stablecoin market size reaches $300 billion, but TGBP, the largest pound stablecoin by market capitalization, is only worth about $34.2 million, accounting for a negligible proportion.
Andy
Bond
Cash
Chain
CoinDesk
Fireblocks
Anchorpoint Financial is about to announce the launch of the Hong Kong dollar stablecoin HKDAP
: Anchorpoint Financial Technology, led by Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong), is one of the two stablecoin issuer license holders first approved by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) in April this year. Standard Chartered and Anchorpoint Financial are expected to issue a joint announcement as soon as the end of this month, within the next two weeks, announcing the launch of the Hong Kong dollar-pegged stablecoin HKDAP. Previously, the HKMA issued the first batch of stablecoin issuer licenses to Anchorpoint Financial and HSBC in April this year.
HSBC receives Bank of England approval to enter Digital Securities Sandbox, HSBC Orion has facilitated over $5 billion in digital bond issuances
HSBC has received approval from the Bank of England to operate within the UK's Digital Securities Sandbox (DSS). Its digital asset platform, HSBC Orion, will support the issuance, servicing, and settlement of digital securities. HSBC stated that HSBC Orion will operate as a digital securities depository within the DSS and claims to be the first company approved by the Bank of England to go live in the sandbox. The platform will support native digital bond issuances, including the UK's planned digital sovereign bond, the Digital Gilt Instrument (DIGIT), and corporate bonds. HSBC noted that HSBC Orion has facilitated over $5 billion in global digital bond issuances. The UK Treasury stated that the first DIGIT transaction is expected to take place in the first quarter of 2027. HSBC has signed a memorandum of understanding with the London Stock Exchange Group to develop connectivity capabilities that support investor participation in the pilot issuance.
Orion
Treasury
英国拟于 2027 年初发行首个数字主权债券，或成首个在分布式账本上发行国债的 G7 国家
The UK plans to launch its first digital sovereign bond, DIGIT, in early 2027, and is expected to become the first G7 country to issue government debt on distributed ledger infrastructure. The bond will be denominated in sterling, issued via the HSBC Orion platform, and operate within the Digital Securities Sandbox of the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority.
Orion
UK plans to issue first G7 digital sovereign bond by early 2027
the UK plans to issue its first digital sovereign bond by early 2027, becoming the first G7 country to issue government debt on a distributed ledger. The bond will be listed on HSBC’s Orion platform and included in the digital securities sandbox of the Bank of England (BoE) and the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to test shorter settlement times and lower costs. BoE Governor Andrew Bailey stated that the BoE plans to make the bond eligible as collateral for market operations, allowing banks to use the bond in central bank funding transactions.
Orion
Strategy Bitcoin Banking Adoption Index: Fidelity Leads at 71%, BNY and Goldman Sachs Rank Second and Third
Strategy's newly launched Bitcoin Banking Adoption Index shows Fidelity leading at 71%, followed by BNY at 46% in second place, and Goldman Sachs at 45% in third. JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, and Citigroup each stand at 43%. The index evaluates the adoption of Bitcoin-related services across trading, custody, digital asset products, financing, and corporate participation among 25 major global institutions, with an overall adoption rate of 32%.The remaining institutions scored between 13% and 38%, with Wells Fargo at 38%, Banco Santander and Société Générale both at 35%, Charles Schwab and TD Bank both at 32%, BNP Paribas, HSBC, Crédit Agricole, and UBS each at 30%, Bank of America, Barclays, and Standard Chartered each at 28%, State Street at 27%, Mizuho and Deutsche Bank both at 22%, MUFG at 18%, Lloyd’s at 17%, and SMBC and Royal Bank of Canada both at 13% (Bitcoin.com News).
Bitcoin
Bitcoin.com
BNP Paribas
Strategy
Street
BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, and 54 other institutions join the UK tokenized financial markets working group
the UK government is accelerating the tokenization of its financial markets. 54 financial institutions, including BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, HSBC, and UBS, have joined the Wholesale Digital Markets Working Group supported by HM Treasury.Backed by the City of London Corporation, the working group will explore real-world tokenization use cases in the UK financial markets over the next year, with an initial focus on tokenised repurchase agreements (tokenised repo).Chris Woolard, the HM Treasury’s lead on wholesale digital markets, stated in a report that the tokenized financial market represents a "network race" and that the UK must move at the fastest possible pace, or risk missing the opportunity to participate in the global digital financial infrastructure buildout. (CoinDesk)
Backed
CoinDesk
Treasury
摩根大通
贝莱德
HSBC Completes First Digital-Native Structured Product Issuance in Hong Kong
According to The Defiant, HSBC completed the first private placement of a digital-native structured product in Hong Kong, with USD-denominated notes issued directly on the blockchain (rather than digitized after issuance). Marketnode served as the tokenization agent and digital payment agent, responsible for managing the flow of funds between the issuer and investors. This issuance was positioned as a pilot project aimed at verifying the application potential of tokenization technology throughout the product's full lifecycle (issuance, settlement, ongoing servicing). It is a continuation of HSBC's multi-year strategic layout in the digital asset sector. Previously, the bank launched the HSBC Orion tokenization platform and retail gold tokens, and participated in the Monetary Authority of Singapore's Project Guardian alongside Marketnode and UOB.
Defiant
First Digital
Guardian
Marketnode
Native
Native
Swift Teams Up With 17 Global Banks to Launch Blockchain Ledger Pilot, Enabling Round-the-Clock Cross-Border Payments
According to CoinDesk, Swift announced that its blockchain-based shared ledger platform is ready and will launch real-time transaction testing with 17 major banks. Participating institutions include HSBC, UBS, BNP Paribas, Citi, BNY, and Wells Fargo, among others, covering six continents. The platform aims to enable 24/7 cross-border payments through tokenized deposits, allowing banks to transfer funds for customers during nights and weekends, and providing liquidity support before final settlement is completed in existing payment systems. Swift clearly stated that the ledger system is positioned as a complement to existing payment rails, not a replacement.
based
BNP Paribas
CoinDesk
Ledger
汇丰预计 2027 年底黄金价格将达到每盎司 5025 美元
汇丰银行发布最新预测，预计 2027 年年底黄金价格将达到每盎司 5025 美元。
Caixin: Son of former Wuhan Supervisory Commission official laundered over HK$64 million in Hong Kong, claims part of the funds came from selling Bitcoin
According to Caixin, Xiao Rui—the son of Xiao Jun, former member of the Wuhan Municipal Supervisory Commission—is suspected of accepting bribes totaling approximately HK$4.72 million from mainland Chinese engineering contractors on behalf of his father and laundering over HK$64 million through underground banking channels. On June 23, the Hong Kong District Court found Xiao Rui guilty on all four counts of “money laundering” and one count of “using a false instrument,” with sentencing scheduled for July 23. In 2014, Xiao Rui was granted residency in Hong Kong; that same year, he purchased two funds from AIA Financial (AIA) via his HSBC account for HK$10 million to meet the investment requirement under the relevant immigration scheme. Between January 2016 and September 2017, multiple remittances totaling over HK$54 million were deposited into Xiao Rui’s Standard Chartered and DBS accounts. Regarding the “money laundering” charges, Xiao Rui argued in court that the large sums involved represented legitimate business earnings of his mother, who gifted the money to him for investment in Hong Kong, and that part of the funds originated from Bitcoin sales. The judge rejected this testimony, citing Xiao Rui’s failure to provide any basic transaction records—such as dates, transaction IDs, or wallet addresses—related to the alleged Bitcoin sales.
AIA Chain
Bitcoin
DeAgentAI
District
June
Korea Financial Research Institute: Discussions on the Korean won stablecoin should prioritize use cases over issuing entities
According to Bloomingbit, Ji Man-soo, Senior Research Fellow at the Korea Financial Research Institute, stated that before deciding on the issuing entity for the Korean won stablecoin, policymakers should prioritize reviewing concrete use cases and feasibility. Citing Hong Kong as a reference case, he noted that the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has granted stablecoin issuance licenses to HSBC Hong Kong and AnchorPoint Financial—a joint venture established by Standard Chartered Hong Kong, Animoca Brands, and HKT—covering use cases such as cross-border payments, domestic payments, tokenized asset trading, and supply chain finance, all aligned with broader digital finance strategies including central bank digital currency (CBDC) and tokenized deposits. Ji Man-soo suggested that discussions around the Korean won stablecoin should begin by asking, “Which problems in Korea’s domestic financial and payment systems can it solve?” Concurrently, specific applications for payments, asset tokenization, and trade finance must be designed to ensure the regulatory framework is effectively implemented.
Animoca Brands
Fellow
HSBC and other banks are vying to hire Chief AI Officers, with salaries nearing $3.5 million per year
Odaily Planet Daily reports that according to Bloomberg, multiple banks, from HSBC to the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, are competing to fill the position of Chief AI Officer. Institutions are poaching talent from competitors, with the role offering an annual salary close to $3.5 million.
Planet
Planet
Planet
Digital Asset, developer of the Canton Network, has completed a $355 million funding round led by a16z.
According to CoinDesk, Digital Asset, the blockchain developer behind Canton Network, has announced a $355 million funding round led by a16z crypto, with participation from global institutions including ABN Amro, Apollo Funds, BNP Paribas, Citadel Securities, HSBC, SBI Group, and a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. The round exceeded its original target of $300 million, valuing the company at $2 billion. Canton Network is designed specifically for large financial institutions and enables the issuance and trading of tokenized real-world assets—such as bonds, loans, and funds—on a shared ledger, while maintaining privacy and meeting regulatory compliance requirements. In addition to financial support, a16z crypto will provide specialized assistance in development, policy, and research.
Apollo
BNP Paribas
Canton Network
Citadel
Citadel
Citadel
Digital Asset Completes $355 Million Funding Round Led by a16z crypto
According to Odaily, Digital Asset, the developer of the Canton network, has announced the completion of a $355 million equity funding round, led by a16z crypto. Participating investors include subsidiaries of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Apollo Funds, BNP Paribas, Citadel Securities, CME Ventures, Coinbase Ventures, HSBC, S&P Global, SBI Group, SoFi, Tradeweb, and others. The project's primary business is developing the Canton blockchain network designed for institutions. The funds will be used to accelerate partnerships with institutional players, pursue mergers and acquisitions, and participate in related projects. (The Block)
Apollo
Block
BNP Paribas
Citadel
Citadel
Citadel
South Korea’s KB Kookmin Bank Issues $100 Million Blockchain-Based Digital Bond in Hong Kong
According to the Seoul Economic Daily, KB Kookmin Bank announced the issuance of a USD 100 million blockchain-based digital bond in the Hong Kong market, marking the first time a Korean bank has applied blockchain technology to an actual foreign-currency financing transaction. This issuance reduces the settlement cycle from the traditional five business days to three business days, helping streamline processes and lower counterparty settlement risk. The two-year USD digital bond was issued privately, with HSBC serving as the sole bookrunner; the issuance process was completed via HSBC’s digital asset platform, Orion.
Based
Based
based
Bond
Orion
Kookmin Bank Issues $100 Million Blockchain Digital Bond, a First for South Korea's Banking Industry
Kookmin Bank has successfully issued a $100 million blockchain digital bond, marking the first such issuance in South Korea's banking sector. The bond was issued through HSBC's digital asset platform Orion and will subsequently be connected to the clearing and settlement system of the Central Moneymarkets Unit under the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. Kookmin Bank will also leverage the HKMA's digital bond subsidy scheme to reduce part of the issuance costs. The bank stated that this issuance is part of KB Financial Group's "Transformation and Expansion" strategy, following the completion of a technical verification for Korean won stablecoin payment and settlement, as it accelerates its digital financial transformation.
Bond
Orion
Unit