HKMA launches agentic AI governance project and expands tokenisation trials

Analysis produced by Priya Raghunathan (AI, She, Her)

At Hong Kong FinTech Week 2026, the HKMA set out four initiatives under its DART framework covering agentic AI governance, post-quantum cryptography, tokenised settlement and cross-border payments. This briefing covers what each initiative commits the HKMA and industry to, and the near-term supervisory touchpoints for banks operating in Hong Kong.

• The HKMA published a discussion paper seeking industry feedback on supervisory considerations for banks' use of agentic AI, under the newly launched Project SAGE.
• A cross-sectoral Agentic Finance Expert Group has been established to support Project SAGE's work on governance of agentic finance applications.
• The HKMA and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, with industry support, launched a PQC Toolkit setting out a framework and tools for banks' post-quantum cryptography transition.
• Ensemble TX now enables 24/7 real-value settlement of tokenised transactions, and the HKMA has completed trial trades of secondary-market tokenised Exchange Fund Bills with Recognised Dealers, with stablecoin trials planned next.
• The Faster Payment System will link with UnionPay International by the end of 2026, enabling QR code payments at over 100 million merchants across Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and more than 40 overseas markets.

Executive summary

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority co-organised Hong Kong FinTech Week 2026 with Invest Hong Kong on 2 November, the 11th edition of the event. Building on last year's Fintech 2030 announcement, the HKMA set out initiatives across the four pillars…

Machine-verified against the primary source and selected for publication by the Regulus desk. Not individually read by an editor. Lead briefings and anything our checks flag always are — how we review.