Merkle Science Meet Hong Kong: Asia’s Digital Asset & Compliance Gateway
Join Merkle Science at Soho House Hong Kong during Hong Kong FinTech Week for an afternoon of focused discussion on the future of digital asset regulation, compliance, and financial infrastructure across Asia-Pacific.
The program will bring together leaders from financial institutions, fintech companies, digital asset businesses, and regulatory and compliance teams to examine how Hong Kong’s digital asset strategy is developing, how traditional finance is engaging with the sector, and how companies are managing regulatory complexity across APAC.
From licensing and institutional adoption to stablecoins and cross-border payments, the sessions will focus on what organizations are building today, how regulatory expectations are evolving, and what the next phase of digital asset adoption could mean for the region.
What to expect
Short, substantive sessions led by industry practitioners
Perspectives from financial services, fintech, compliance, policy, and digital assets
Practical discussions on licensing, risk management, institutional adoption, and cross-border payments
Product demonstrations and opportunities to connect with speakers and attendees
Drinks and networking following the program
Event Agenda
1:30 PM – 1:50 PM | Arrival & Networking
Join fellow industry leaders, financial institutions, regulators, and digital asset professionals for informal networking and light refreshments ahead of the afternoon's discussions.
1:50 PM – 2:00 PM | Welcome Remarks
Opening remarks from Tom Luo, VP of Sales at Merkle Science, welcoming attendees to Merkle Science Meet Hong Kong 2026 and introducing the key themes shaping the future of digital asset regulation, financial innovation, and compliance.
2:00 PM – 2:40 PM | Panel: Hong Kong's Digital Asset Strategy — Regulation, Licensing & Global Competitiveness
Hong Kong is strengthening its position as a leading regulated digital asset hub, combining evolving licensing frameworks with growing institutional interest and financial innovation. This panel explores how the city's regulatory landscape is developing, what firms have learned from the licensing process, and how Hong Kong can balance innovation, investor protection, and market integrity while competing with other major financial centres across Asia and globally.
Speakers
Avina Lobo — Policy & Licensing Lead, Reap
Alex Tsang — Director of Compliance Governance, RedotPay
Eugene Wong — Head of Risk and Compliance, Cobo
Kenneth Hui — Partner, Financial Services, Simmons & Simmons HK
Sebastian Ko — General Counsel, OSL
Priscilla Adams — Co-Chair, Web3 and Blockchain Committee, FTAHK
Moderator: Calvin To — Supervising Associate, Financial Services, Simmons & Simmons HK
2:40 PM – 2:55 PM | Merkle Science Product Demo
Join Tom Luo for a live demonstration of Merkle Science's blockchain intelligence and compliance solutions, showcasing how financial institutions and digital asset businesses can strengthen transaction monitoring, wallet screening, investigations, and risk management.
2:55 PM – 3:35 PM | Panel: Tokenization of Financial Markets — Hong Kong, Singapore & the Regional Race
Hong Kong and Singapore are accelerating their efforts to develop tokenized financial markets, with institutions exploring tokenized funds, bonds, deposits, and real-world assets. This panel examines how financial institutions are approaching tokenization, the regulatory and technological infrastructure needed to support adoption, and the opportunities and risks shaping competition across Asia. Speakers will discuss what it will take to scale tokenized financial products while maintaining investor protection, market integrity, and institutional confidence.
Speakers
Kevin K — Chief Business Officer, MemeStrategy
Abel Seow — Head of APAC, BitGo
Terrence Hooi — CEO & Co-Founder, Singular Global
Evan Auyang — Group President, Animoca Brands
Edison Leung — Co-Founder & CEO, Accelerate Lab
Karen Lam — Partner, Financial Markets, Simmons & Simmons HK
Sandeep Sethi — Board Member, FTAHK
Moderator: Medhy Souidi — Transformation Lead, DBS
3:35 PM – 3:55 PM | Networking Break
Take a break to connect with fellow attendees, exchange perspectives, and continue conversations with speakers and industry leaders.
3:55 PM – 4:35 PM | Panel: Navigating Compliance Across APAC — Managing Regulatory Complexity at Scale
Operating across Asia-Pacific requires firms to navigate a diverse and rapidly evolving regulatory landscape. This panel explores how financial institutions, digital asset businesses, and compliance leaders are managing different licensing regimes, AML/CFT obligations, sanctions requirements, and regulatory expectations across Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and beyond. Speakers will discuss strategies for building scalable compliance frameworks, coordinating cross-border operations, and maintaining consistent risk controls across multiple jurisdictions.
Speakers
Tarini Ponniah — Head of Compliance, APAC, Anchorage Digital
Cynthia Or — Deputy General Counsel, Global Regulatory & Licensing, OKX
Chen Li — General Counsel, RedotPay
Cathal Donnellan — President, Nexstox
Martin Chan — Head of Compliance, Lightnet
Steffanie Yuen — Board Director, FTAHK
Moderator: Andy Hung — Head of Alliance, Pacific Meta
4:35 PM – 4:50 PM | Fraud Solutions Demo
Discover how technology and data-driven intelligence can help identify suspicious activity, detect fraud patterns, and strengthen risk controls across digital asset and payment ecosystems.
4:50 PM – 5:30 PM | Panel: Stablecoins & Cross-Border Payments — Scaling Trust, Compliance and Global Adoption
Stablecoins are reshaping cross-border payments by offering the potential for faster settlement, lower costs, and improved access to global financial infrastructure. As adoption expands across payment providers, fintechs, and digital asset businesses, institutions must navigate evolving regulatory requirements, liquidity and foreign exchange challenges, and financial crime risks. This panel examines how stablecoin payment networks are scaling across jurisdictions, how firms are addressing AML/CFT and transaction monitoring requirements, and what infrastructure is needed to support secure, compliant, and reliable cross-border payments.
Speakers
Keian Wong — Head of Product, Cregis
Stephen Browne — CEO, Sorted
Chelase Zhou — Head of Legal, Codex
Leandro — CEO, Mandioca
Gary Liu — Co-Founder & CEO, Terminal 3
Christian Niedermueller — CEO, Europe, LianLian
Moderator: Sonia Lim — Partner, Financial Services, Simmons & Simmons
5:30 PM–7:00 PM | Drinks and networking
Continue the conversation with speakers and fellow attendees over drinks at Soho House Hong Kong.
Limited seats are available. Registration is required to attend.
Additional speakers, moderators, and demonstration details will be announced soon. The program and speaker lineup are subject to change.