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The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has unveiled a new program, the Supervisory Incubator for Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), to facilitate its safe and effective integration into the banking sector.
The Incubator is designed to provide banks with a structured environment to explore and implement DLT-based solutions while effectively managing the associated risks, according to a statement last week.
Recognizing the transformative potential of DLT, the HKMA said it aims to support innovation within the financial industry while ensuring stability and consumer protection. The Incubator will focus on mitigating risks that may arise as banks integrate DLT with existing legacy systems, particularly as they move towards productionizing services such as deposits and loans. Tokenized deposits, an area of significant industry interest, will be a core focus from the outset.
"As the banking industry continues to evolve, it is essential that we provide a supportive environment for innovation to thrive. The Supervisory Incubator for DLT is a key component of our strategy to foster the development of DLT-based banking solutions that are safe, efficient, and beneficial to the industry and the wider community," Arthur Yuen, HKMA deputy chief executive, said.
The incubator will operate on two levels: individual bank support and industry-wide collaboration. At the individual bank level, the Incubator will act as a one-stop supervisory platform. This platform will allow banks to assess the adequacy of their risk management controls before fully launching any DLT-based initiative. Banks will have access to a dedicated HKMA team for supervisory feedback and can conduct live trials to test and refine their risk management strategies in a practical, iterative manner.
On a broader scale, the incubator will promote industry-wide awareness and understanding of best practices in DLT risk management. This will be achieved through various initiatives, including the development of supervisory guidance, industry sharing sessions, and forward-looking research projects. These initiatives will enhance the overall industry's readiness and capacity to deploy DLT solutions effectively.
The launch of the incubator was announced during the fourth edition of the FiNETech series (FiNETech4), a HKMA initiative established in April 2024 to promote fintech adoption. FiNETech4 brought together over 300 professionals from various financial sectors and the technology industry to discuss the potential of DLT to revolutionize finance, particularly in areas like transaction efficiency and information utilization.
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