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Circle Forum Hong Kong

Join us for a discussion on the evolution of digital finance in Asia

Thank you for making this Circle’s largest Forum yet. Missed it? Watch the highlights.

Join a distinguished group of leaders in digital finance for discussions on the evolution of money in Asia.

Together, we’ll examine topics including the exponential growth of digital asset adoption in Asia, strategic advantages for frontrunners in digital asset regulations, and what comes next for the future of digital finance.

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Agenda

The Circle Forum agenda is set to showcase a dynamic assembly of industry experts and thought leaders. Please note that sessions will be delivered in English.

11:30 am

Check-in, Refreshments & Networking

12:30 P.M.

Welcome

Speaker

Yam Ki Chan

Vice President, Asia Pacific, Circle

Yam Ki Chan
Vice President, Asia Pacific, Circle

Nearly two decades of experience translating between technology, and economic policies and business objectives in high-intensity roles at multinationals, investment bank, and government. Spearheads complex, high-stakes strategies through direct negotiations, external-ally building, and leadership across geographically-dispersed cross-functional teams.

12:35 P.M.

Keynote

Speaker

Jeremy Allaire

Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer & Chairman, Circle

Jeremy Allaire
Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer & Chairman, Circle

Jeremy is responsible for strategy, vision and operating execution at Circle. He brings more than two decades of experience building and leading global internet software platforms, including founder and CEO of Brightcove, technologist and entrepreneur in residence at General Catalyst, CTO of Macromedia, and co-founder and CTO of Allaire Corporation.

1:00 P.m.

regulation

The Positioning and Latest Development of Hong Kong’s Virtual Asset Business

In this enlightening session, Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Joseph Chan will discuss the dynamic evolution of Hong Kong’s financial industry landscape, and the Government’s support and measures for fintech innovations. Attendees will get to learn more about Hong Kong’s unique position and advantage, fortified by its robust financial infrastructure and well-established financial services industry as Hong Kong affirms its status as a leading international financial center.

Speaker

Joseph H.L. Chan, JP

Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, The Government of Hong Kong SAR

Joseph H.L. Chan, JP
Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, The Government of Hong Kong SAR

Mr Chan was appointed the Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury on 16 August 2017. Mr Chan has many years of senior executive experience in the banking industry.

He was a Managing Director in the Global Markets Division of Credit Agricole Corporate & Investment Bank, and was a Managing Director in Financial Markets of Standard Chartered Bank.

Prior to joining the Government, Mr Chan held multiple roles in a number of public and professional bodies, including Vice President of the Hong Kong Society of Financial Analysts, Director of Hong Kong Securities & Investment Institute, Advisor of the Chinese Gold & Silver Exchange Society, as well as a General Committee member of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce. Mr Chan was also a member of the Central & Western District Council.

Mr Chan holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics (Hon) and Psychology from the University of Michigan, USA. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst.

1:20 P.m.

regulation

Fireside Chat with The Honorable Duncan Chiu

Speakers

The Honorable Duncan Chiu

Legislative Council Member, Technology & Innovation Constituency

The Honorable Duncan Chiu
Legislative Council Member, Technology & Innovation Constituency

Duncan has been a driving force in Hong Kong’s innovation and technology (I&T) development since early 2000. He is an active advocate of I&T policies, an experienced entrepreneur and investor, and is often regarded as the leading figure in the local I&T industry.

Besides his role in LegCo, Duncan is President of Hong Kong Information Technology Joint Council, Chairman of Steering Committee of the Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme (RAISe+), Chairman of HKTDC Information & Communications Technology (ICT) Services Advisory Committee, Chairman of Hospital Authority’s Information Technology Services Committee, and Chairman of Squash Association of Hong Kong, China.

Yam Ki Chan

Vice President, Asia Pacific, Circle

Yam Ki Chan
Vice President, Asia Pacific, Circle

Nearly two decades of experience translating between technology, and economic policies and business objectives in high-intensity roles at multinationals, investment bank, and government. Spearheads complex, high-stakes strategies through direct negotiations, external-ally building, and leadership across geographically-dispersed cross-functional teams.

1:45 P.m.

Circle Connections networking break

2:05 P.m.

PAYMENTS

Beyond Borders: How Thunes is Transforming International Money Movement

In this fireside chat, we'll explore how Thunes is creating a seamless global payment network that connects businesses across 130+ countries. The discussion will focus on Thunes's innovative approach to reducing fees, increasing transaction speed, and improving transparency in cross-border payments. Attendees will gain insights into the future of international money transfers and how businesses can leverage this technology to expand their global reach.

Speakers

Yam Ki Chan

Vice President, Asia Pacific, Circle

Yam Ki Chan
Vice President, Asia Pacific, Circle

Nearly two decades of experience translating between technology, and economic policies and business objectives in high-intensity roles at multinationals, investment bank, and government. Spearheads complex, high-stakes strategies through direct negotiations, external-ally building, and leadership across geographically-dispersed cross-functional teams.

Kyle Rosen

Head of Product, Thunes

2:25 P.m.

banking

Stablecoins, Blockchains and the Future of Commerce

In this session, join leaders from AMINA Group and Standard Chartered Bank as they explore the potential of stablecoins and blockchain technology in reshaping global commerce. Our speakers will provide insights into how their respective companies are positioning themselves at the forefront of this financial revolution, working with regulators and partners to build trust and interoperability in the digital asset ecosystem.

This session will delve into blockchain technology’s evolution from a speculative investment vehicle into a powerful tool for everyday transactions, potentially mirroring the explosive growth of the internet in the 1990s and 2000s.

Speakers

Jeremy Fox-Geen

Chief Financial Officer, Circle

Jeremy Fox-Geen
Chief Financial Officer, Circle

Jeremy brings 25 years of experience in corporate finance and financial services, as a strategic advisor, operator and finance officer, with previously held senior leadership roles at iStar and Safehold, McKinsey, PwC and Citigroup, as CFO, management consultant and finance officer.

Amy Yu

Chief Executive Officer, APAC, AMINA Group

Amy Yu
Chief Executive Officer, APAC, AMINA Group

Amy has over 15 years of experience in financial services spanning investment banking, prime brokerage and exchanges in both traditional banking and digital assets in Asia. She has extensive experience in digital assets capital markets, trading ecosystem and liquidity provision, and regional growth strategy. Her last decade has been spent in business builds and regional expansions of BitMEX Derivatives exchange and Genesis Trading, crypto industry pioneers and market giants in their respective businesses; and prior to her move into the digital assets space, with the APAC build of JP Morgan’s Prime Services.

Amy holds a degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with concentrations in Finance and Marketing, and a Minor in Asian Studies.

René Michau

Global Head, Digital Assets, Standard Chartered Bank

René Michau
Global Head, Digital Assets, Standard Chartered Bank

René Michau is Global Head of Digital Assets and is responsible for coordinating the strategic approach across Standard Chartered and SC Ventures, aligning innovation and capability delivery to provide clients with safe access to digital asset solutions. René led the establishment of the Fintech Banking business at SC and has worked across Financial Markets, Transaction Banking, Risk and Technology for several banks including HSBC, ANZ and NAB. His early career was spent as an Army Officer in the Australian Defence Force.

René also leads the development of crypto trading Standard Chartered and co-chairs the Global) Digital Finance Institutional Crypto Working Group and the Institute of International Finance (IIF) Digital Assets Forum. René is also a member of the Digital Asset Markets sub-committee of the Commodities and Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)’s Global Markets Advisory Committee (GMAC)

René is a strong advocate for fintech innovation and dedicates his time collaborating with fintechs on community building, podcasts, academic research and speaking engagements. René is passionate about the empowerment of the amazing women in crypto and fintech and advocates for the power of diversity.

2:45 P.m.

developers

Circle Builders: Creating the Next Wave of Onchain Applications

In this session, we'll showcase innovative developers who are leveraging Circle's Platform, Community, and Grants programs to bring onchain applications to life. Through their journeys from concept to mainnet launch, these Circle Builders demonstrate the transformative potential of decentralized applications and inspire the next wave of innovation in our growing ecosystem.

Speaker

Sandra Persing

VP, Developer & Ecosystem Marketing, Circle

Sandra Persing
VP, Developer & Ecosystem Marketing, Circle

Sandra Persing is the VP of Developer and Ecosystem Marketing at Circle. Sandra's team inspires developers pioneering Web3 solutions that contribute to the new wave of innovations with USDC.

2:55 P.m.

Circle Platform: Reimagining Finance

Speaker

Ian Lin

Director of Product Management, Circle

Ian Lin
Director of Product Management, Circle

Product leader with entrepreneurial background, strong consumer focus, and 11+ years of industry experience. A proven track record of conceiving ground breaking ideas, delivering disruptive features in Search and AI.

Founded/cofounded 3 companies, with one acquisition in 2009.

Manage and supported Product and Design teams, effective collaboration with others, strong execution, great communication and extraordinary presentation skills, with the ability to quickly adapt new tasks and environments.

Experienced with product release cycles and demonstrated strong leadership in leading projects end to end, from ideation to release & growth collaborating across engineering, design, legal, marketing, PR, and research.

3:15 P.m.

fintech

HKT: Building a Next Generation Web3 Loyalty Platform

Join us for a timely conversation with Monita Leung, CEO of HKT Digital Ventures, as she shares how Hong Kong's leading telecommunications company is blazing the trail in responsible innovation through Web3 technologies with Circle.

This session will offer valuable insights for anyone looking to understand the practical applications of Web3 in enhancing customer relationships. Attendees will gain a firsthand look at how HKT is leveraging blockchain technology to create meaningful value for merchants and consumers.

Speakers

Elisabeth Carpenter

Chief Operating Officer, Circle

Elisabeth Carpenter
Chief Operating Officer, Circle

Elisabeth leads global Revenue and Marketing, overseeing the complete go-to-market experience, and runs global business operations, including Talent. She brings decades of experience leading companies revolutionizing industries ranging from financial services to nonprofit fundraising to media as COO of Evertrue, SVP at Brightcove, and SVP at News Corporation and BSkyB.

Monita Leung

CEO, Digital Ventures, HKT

Monita Leung
CEO, Digital Ventures, HKT

Ms Monita Leung was appointed as Chief Executive Officer, Digital Ventures of HKT in 2022, taking a leadership role to drive the company’s digital ventures business. She has over 15 years’ experience with the Group and has played an integral part in the success of high-speed fibre broadband modernisation in Hong Kong. With her diverse experience across different business areas, including marketing, product development, operations and customer service, she is committed to driving continuous innovation by actively participating in a range of new initiatives such as digital wallet, virtual bank, ecommerce, merchant O2O solutions as well as fintech and health services.

Before joining HKT, Ms Leung acquired well-rounded experience in the consumer credit and payment card business in Hong Kong. She holds an Executive Master of Science in City Transformation and Master Planning from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

3:35 P.m.

Circle Connections networking break

3:55 P.m.

finance

The Forefront of Innovation: How Digital Assets Are Improving Finance

In this session, executives from Bullish, HashKey Group, and OSL will explain how digital assets are changing finance and improving existing systems. The panel will discuss Hong Kong's strengths as a virtual asset hub, including its historic leadership in finance, connections to global markets, and future innovations that are already becoming a reality.

Speakers

Eugene Cheung

Chief Institutional Business Officer, OSL

Eugene Cheung
Chief Institutional Business Officer, OSL

Eugene Cheung is the Chief Institutional Business Officer at OSL, where he oversees the development and growth of the company's institutional business. He transitioned into the crypto industry in 2021, joining Bybit as Vice President and Head of Institution. At Bybit, Eugene built and led a new department focused on addressing institutional trading requirements, playing a key role in establishing Bybit as one of the top three global crypto exchanges.

Prior to entering the crypto space, Eugene accumulated over 15 years of experience in traditional finance, specializing in exchange and OTC trading across spot, derivatives, and fixed income asset classes. He previously served as Managing Director and Head of China for Tradeweb, where he spearheaded initiatives such as Bond Connect and was responsible for driving the company’s growth strategy in China. Before his time at Tradeweb, Eugene spent nearly a decade at CME Group, leading China business development since 2012. In this role, he formed strategic partnerships with China’s four major futures exchanges and interbank markets, significantly expanding CME Group’s presence in the region.

Eugene is a frequent speaker at industry events, particularly in the crypto space, and previously in the financial markets. He has also provided advisory services to regulators and industry participants. Before his tenure at CME Group, he held roles at Cantor Fitzgerald and a Hong Kong-based private equity firm.

Eugene holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Finance from the University of Hong Kong and a Master’s degree in Finance from the Illinois Institute of Technology. He is also a certified Financial Risk Manager (FRM).

Samuel Lok

Head of Compliance, HashKey

Samuel Lok
Head of Compliance, HashKey

Samuel Lok, is the Head of Compliance at HashKey, where he leads the AML and Regulatory Compliance functions and oversees the Compliance programs. He transitioned into the crypto industry in 2022, joined OSL as Head of Compliance.

Prior to joining crypto space, Samuel accumulated nearly two decades of experience in traditional finance, specialising in Compliance, AML and Technology with vigorous positions at investment banks, retail banks, Asset Management and Brokerage.

He previously served as one of the founding members in ZA Bank who obtained the first virtual bank license and led the establishment of the Compliance functions, and he also worked across different roles for several financial institutions, such as JP Morgan Asset Management, BNP Paribas, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and HSBC and Yunfeng Financial.

Mick Horgan

Head of Custody, Bullish

Ben Morris

Senior Director, Business Development, APAC, Circle

4:15 P.m.

Payments

Updating the Global Payment System

In this panel discussion, industry experts from Visa, Reap, and Redot Pay will explore challenges and opportunities surrounding payments as they exist today. Attendees will gain insights into the challenges businesses and consumers face with payments and the immense opportunities that stablecoins can unlock.

The speakers on this panel will share real-world examples of the importance of stablecoins in the global financial system while exploring how the rise of near-instant payment networks equipped with stablecoin technology can make payments and payouts faster, more cost-efficient, and more secure.

Speakers

Elisabeth Carpenter

Chief Operating Officer, Circle

Elisabeth Carpenter
Chief Operating Officer, Circle

Elisabeth leads global Revenue and Marketing, overseeing the complete go-to-market experience, and runs global business operations, including Talent. She brings decades of experience leading companies revolutionizing industries ranging from financial services to nonprofit fundraising to media as COO of Evertrue, SVP at Brightcove, and SVP at News Corporation and BSkyB.

Daren Guo

Co-Founder, Reap

Daren Guo
Co-Founder, Reap

Daren Guo is a co-founder at Reap, where he leads product development to create world-class financial solutions for enterprises in the Web2 and Web3 sectors. In 2018, alongside his childhood friend Kevin Kang, Daren established Reap with a firm belief in the transformative power of Reap's payments technology for driving success for businesses across various industries and sizes. With over 90 team members spread across offices in eight countries, Reap has rapidly expanded its global presence since its inception.

Prior to Reap, Daren played a pivotal role in Stripe's growth journey. Starting at their San Francisco headquarters, he helped set up their first APAC presence in Singapore and contributed to scaling the company.

Michael Gao

Co-Founder & CEO, RedotPay

Michael Gao
Co-Founder & CEO, RedotPay

Michael Gao is the Co-founder and CEO of Redotpay, where he leads the company's vision and strategy in the fintech space. He has an extensive background in financial services, having previously served as CEO of Union Mobile Pay Ltd and CEO of Hao Tian International Financial Holdings Ltd. Michael's career spans over 10 years in major financial institutions, including DBS Bank, HSBC, and Maybank, which he leverages to push the boundaries of digital payments and financial technology. Michael holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Economics from Nanyang Technological University Singapore.

Nischint Sanghavi

Head of Digital Currencies – APAC, VISA

Nischint Sanghavi
Head of Digital Currencies – APAC, VISA

Nischint is the Head of Digital Currencies in Asia Pacific. He is responsible for overseeing Visa’s digital currency business performance in AP including creating and growing new revenue streams and partnerships. Nischint also serves as the subject matter expert supporting client facing teams on digital currency/web 3.0 engagements with key stakeholders such as banks, fintech’s, regulators and blockchain infrastructure companies.

He also oversees emerging CBDC and tokenized deposit products and GTM efforts Nischint brings over 22 years of experience in financial services working across multiple different streams over the years.

Nischint holds an MBA from Boston University School of Management and is also a Chartered Accountant.

4:40 P.m.

platform

Ant International: Stablecoins and the New Digital Economy

Join Jeremy Allaire, Co-Founder and CEO of Circle, as he sits down with Kelvin Li, Head of Platform Tech, Ant International, for a compelling conversation about stablecoins and their transformative potential in commerce. These generational technology leaders will explore how Ant Group is pioneering innovation within the realms of digital assets and blockchain technology. Discover strategic insights that could shape the future landscape of digital finance around the world.

Speakers

Kelvin Li

Head of Platform Tech, Ant International

Kelvin Li
Head of Platform Tech, Ant International

Kelvin Li is the Head of Platform Tech, Ant International. Since joining Ant International in 2016, Kelvin took a number of leadership roles in global FX, Treasury, Solution, Partnership teams, where he led the team in building the next-generation global payment and treasury infrastructures and products, leveraging cutting-edge DLT and AI technologies to support the growing needs of small & medium enterprises in a more scalable and sustainable manner. Under Kelvin’s leadership, Ant International were able to propel transformation of FX and liquidity management framework connecting five global treasury hubs in Singapore, Hongkong, Luxembourg, New York and London, covering more than 40 currencies and across 60 entities. Ant Group was awarded the Adam Smith Awards Asia in 2021 as the winner of the Best Liquidity Management solution and jointly with Alibaba group in 2022 as winner of the Best Technology Solution.

Prior to joining Ant Group, Kelvin was the Head of Citigroup Corporate Solutions for China. He was also the Head of FX of JP Morgan China from 2009 to 2010. Kelvin is an alumni of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

Jeremy Allaire

Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer & Chairman, Circle

Jeremy Allaire
Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer & Chairman, Circle

Jeremy is responsible for strategy, vision and operating execution at Circle. He brings more than two decades of experience building and leading global internet software platforms, including founder and CEO of Brightcove, technologist and entrepreneur in residence at General Catalyst, CTO of Macromedia, and co-founder and CTO of Allaire Corporation.

5:10 P.M. - 6:30 P.M.

Closing Happy Hour

Featured Speakers

Jeremy Allaire

Jeremy Allaire

Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer & Chairman, Circle
Joseph H. L. Chan, JP

Joseph H. L. Chan, JP

Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury The Government of Hong Kong SAR
The Honourable Duncan Chiu

The Honourable Duncan Chiu

Legislative Council Member, Technology & Innovation Constituency
Elisabeth Carpenter

Elisabeth Carpenter

Chief Operating Officer, Circle
Li Fan

Li Fan

Chief Technology Officer, Circle
Jeremy Fox-Geen

Jeremy Fox-Geen

Chief Financial Officer, Circle
Sandra Persing

Sandra Persing

VP, Developer & Ecosystem Marketing, Circle
Yam Ki Chan

Yam Ki Chan

Head of APAC, Circle
Ian Lin

Ian Lin

Director of Product Management, Circle
Michael Gao

Michael Gao

Co-Founder & CEO, RedotPay
Daren Guo

Daren Guo

Co-Founder, Reap
Monita Leung

Monita Leung

CEO, Digital Ventures, HKT
René Michau

René Michau

Global Head, Digital Assets, Standard Chartered Bank
Nischint Sanghavi

Nischint Sanghavi

Head of Digital Currencies – Asia Pacific, VISA
Eugene Cheung

Eugene Cheung

Chief Institutional Business Officer, OSL
Amy Yu

Amy Yu

Chief Executive Officer, APAC, AMINA Group
Samuel Lok

Samuel Lok

Head of Compliance, HashKey

Sessions

The Circle Forum agenda is set to showcase a dynamic assembly of industry experts and thought leaders. While we will continue to announce additional sessions and speakers, we are pleased to unveil the current line-up.

RETAIL

Stablecoins, Blockchains and the Future of Commerce

In this session, join leaders from AMINA Group and Standard Chartered Bank as they explore the potential of stablecoins and blockchain technology in reshaping global commerce. Our speakers will provide insights into how their respective companies are positioning themselves at the forefront of this financial revolution, working with regulators and partners to build trust and interoperability in the digital asset ecosystem.

This session will delve into blockchain technology’s evolution from a speculative investment vehicle into a powerful tool for everyday transactions, potentially mirroring the explosive growth of the internet in the 1990s and 2000s.

DEvelopers

Circle Builders: Creating the Next Wave of Onchain Applications

In this session, we'll showcase innovative developers who are leveraging Circle's Platform, Community, and Grants programs to bring onchain applications to life. Through their journeys from concept to mainnet launch, these Circle Builders demonstrate the transformative potential of decentralized applications and inspire the next wave of innovation in our growing ecosystem.

Finance

The Forefront of Innovation: How Digital Assets Are Improving Finance

In this session, executives from Bullish, HashKey Group, and OSL will explain how digital assets are changing finance and improving existing systems. The panel will discuss Hong Kong's strengths as a virtual asset hub, including its historic leadership in finance, connections to global markets, and future innovations that are already becoming a reality.

PAYMENTS

Updating The Global Payment System

In this panel discussion, industry experts from Visa, Reap, and Redot Pay will explore challenges and opportunities surrounding payments as they exist today. Attendees will gain insights into the challenges businesses and consumers face with payments and the immense opportunities that stablecoins can unlock.

The speakers on this panel will share real-world examples of the importance of stablecoins in the global financial system while exploring how the rise of near-instant payment networks equipped with stablecoin technology can make payments and payouts faster, more cost-efficient, and more secure.

REGULATION

A Fireside Chat with Legislative Council Member, The Honourable Duncan Chiu

More details coming soon.

FINTECH

HKT: Building A Next Generation Web3 Loyalty Platform

Join us for a timely conversation with Monita Leung, CEO of HKT Digital Ventures, as she shares how Hong Kong's leading telecommunications company is blazing the trail in responsible innovation through Web3 technologies with Circle.

This session will offer valuable insights for anyone looking to understand the practical applications of Web3 in enhancing customer relationships. Attendees will gain a firsthand look at how HKT is leveraging blockchain technology to create meaningful value for merchants and consumers.

The Venue

Four Seasons Hong Kong
8 Finance Street
Central, Hong Kong

Located in the heart of the city’s financial and cultural center, the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong boasts a convenient location near the MTR and ferry piers and is adjacent to the IFC Mall and corporate institutions.

Outside of the Four Seasons Hong Kong
Inside of the Four Seasons Hong Kong
Outside view of the Four Seasons Hong Kong
Blocktober event image

Blocktober 2024

Circle is proud to join global Web3 leaders in hosting anchor events during Blocktober 2024, a month-long celebration of blockchain technology and innovation.

Circle is a global financial technology firm that enables businesses of all sizes to harness the power of digital currencies and public blockchains for payments, commerce, and financial applications worldwide.

Circle is the issuer of USDC — a leading regulated dollar stablecoin that’s highly liquid, trusted, and operates natively on the internet. Our open platform also empowers low-cost access to digital financial technology and regulated digital dollars.