A new initiative has been introduced by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) to support banks adopting distributed ledger technology (DLT).
The program, known as the “Supervisory Incubator for Distributed Ledger Technology”, was announced on January 8 during the FiNETech4 event, which gathered over 300 finance professionals.
Arthur Yuen, HKMA’s deputy chief executive, emphasized the need to create an environment that encourages innovation while ensuring safety. He explained that the program is designed to help banks explore DLT solutions in a way that benefits the industry and the wider community.
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The initiative focuses on two main areas. First, the program aims to foster growth across the banking sector by conducting research, sharing practical advice, and providing clear guidance on implementing DLT.
This collaborative approach is expected to help banks understand and adopt the technology more effectively.
Second, the program offers individual support to banks by providing feedback during live trials of DLT systems. This includes assessing risk management processes before services are fully launched.
The initial trials will focus on tokenized deposits, which test the systems to ensure they operate securely and efficiently.
Carmen Chu, Executive Director at HKMA, highlighted the potential of DLT to improve financial processes. She noted at the FiNETech4 event:
As DLT continues to evolve, we could expect to witness more sophisticated ways of managing tokenized assets, such as real-time ledger updates, autonomous book-keeping and streamlined reconciliation processes.
Chu also said that these innovations could create new financial products tailored to the needs of specific industries, which offers banks opportunities for growth.
While Hong Kong announced its DLT initiative, Oklahoma Senator Dusty Deevers recently introduced a new payment law for residents and businesses. What is it about? Read the full story.
