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 Agenda 1:30 PM–1:50 PM | Arrival and networking Light refreshments and informal networking. 1:50 PM–2:00 PM | Welcome remarks Opening remarks from Mriganka Pattnaik, Co-Founder and CEO of Merkle Science. 2:00 PM–2:40 PM | Hong Kong’s Digital Asset Strategy: Regulation, Licensing and Global Competitiveness Hong Kong has positioned itself as one of the world’s leading regulated digital asset hubs, combining an increasingly comprehensive licensing regime with a strong focus on institutional adoption and financial innovation. This panel will explore how the regulatory framework is evolving, the lessons companies have learned from the licensing process, and how Hong Kong is balancing innovation and investor protection while strengthening its role within the broader Asian financial ecosystem. Panelists: Dorina Juhász, Strategy and Operations, BitvavoAvina Lobo, Policy and Licensing Lead, ReapSean Lee, Chair, Stablecoin and Payment Working Group, Web3 Harbour 2:40 PM–2:55 PM | Product demonstration Further details to be announced. 2:55 PM–3:35 PM | Bank-Crypto Convergence: How Traditional Finance Is Engaging with Digital Assets As Hong Kong’s regulatory framework for digital assets continues to develop, banks and other financial institutions are reassessing their approach to crypto custody, stablecoins, tokenized assets, and digital asset services. This panel will bring together perspectives from banking, compliance, and fintech to examine how this convergence is taking shape in practice. Speakers will discuss what institutions are building or partnering on, how risk and compliance frameworks are adapting, and what Hong Kong’s increasingly institutional digital asset market means for crypto-native companies competing for the same clients. Speaker lineup to be announced. 3:35 PM–3:55 PM | Break 3:55 PM–4:35 PM | Navigating Compliance Across APAC: Managing Regulatory Complexity at Scale Operating across Asia-Pacific means navigating one of the world’s most diverse regulatory landscapes. This panel will examine how financial institutions, digital asset companies, and compliance leaders are adapting to different licensing regimes, anti-money laundering requirements, sanctions obligations, and evolving regulatory expectations across Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and other key jurisdictions. Confirmed speaker: Tarini Ponniah, Head of Compliance, APAC, Anchorage Digital Additional speakers to be announced. 4:35 PM–4:50 PM | Product demonstration Further details to be announced. 4:50 PM–5:30 PM | Stablecoins and Cross-Border Payments Stablecoins are increasingly being used to address the cost, speed, and accessibility limitations of traditional cross-border payments, particularly across markets served by fragmented banking and payment infrastructure. This panel will take a practical look at where stablecoin-based payments are already gaining traction across Asia-Pacific and where adoption remains constrained by licensing requirements, foreign-exchange conversion, liquidity, interoperability, and last-mile infrastructure. Speakers will discuss how companies are building compliant payment flows across jurisdictions and how competition is evolving as banks, fintechs, and digital asset businesses enter the market. Panelists: Danny Lung, CEO, PQA LabsStephen Browne, CEO, SortedChelsea Qianwei Zhou, Head of Legal, CodexPablo Che Leon, Head of Customer Growth, ReapLeandro Meneses, Founder and CEO, MandiocaGary Liu, Co-Founder and CEO, Terminal 3 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.