Standard Chartered CEO Forecasts Blockchain Revolution, Anchors Digital Finance Strategy in Hong Kong

Standard Chartered CEO Bill Winters has declared that Hong Kong will serve as the cornerstone of the bank's global digital finance strategy, predicting that all global transactions will eventually settle on blockchain ledgers, leading to a complete rewiring of the financial system. Winters made these remarks during Hong Kong FinTech Week in November 2025, emphasizing that digital currencies will transform financial services by enhancing efficiency and reducing costs.

In an interview with the South China Morning Post, Winters praised Hong Kong's forward-thinking regulatory environment, particularly the Hong Kong Monetary Authority's (HKMA) pilot programs on tokenized deposits, wholesale central bank digital currencies, and stablecoins. He noted that the HKMA's Fintech 2030 strategy, launched last week, focuses on four pillars—data and payments, artificial intelligence, resilience, and tokenization (the DART framework)—and includes over 40 programs to accelerate innovation. This initiative aims to help the financial sector surpass $600 billion in revenue by 2032.

Regulatory easing is also underway, with Securities and Futures Commission Chief Executive Julia Leung confirming that licensed crypto exchanges in Hong Kong will soon be allowed to connect with global order books, ending the isolated trading model and boosting liquidity. Standard Chartered has actively participated in the HKMA's regulatory sandboxes, testing blockchain applications to improve transaction security and compliance with anti-money-laundering rules.

The bank's digital focus is already yielding results: in the third quarter, net profit rose 10% to $1.03 billion, driven by growth in capital-light, high-return segments like wealth management and cross-border payments. Winters highlighted plans to invest $1.5 billion in wealth management over the next five years, reinforcing Hong Kong's role as a key hub for Standard Chartered's operations across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Partnerships with firms like Animoca Brands and HKT further underscore the bank's commitment to leveraging blockchain for future growth.