Hong Kong Academy of Finance Inks Fintech Research Deal with Tsinghua PBCSF

Hong Kong's Academy of Finance signed a formal partnership agreement with Tsinghua University's PBC School of Finance on January 30, marking another step in the city's push to strengthen financial ties with mainland China while cementing its position as a regional fintech hub.

The Memorandum of Understanding establishes a framework for joint research projects, faculty exchanges, and collaborative conferences focused on financial technology and global policy. Both institutions will also work together on leadership development programs aimed at cultivating what Tsinghua PBCSF Dean Jie Jiao called "international financial talents."

What's Actually on the Table

The MoU covers four main areas: mutual visits between faculty, scholars, and program participants; joint seminars and academic conferences; collaborative R&D in fintech and areas of "common interest"; and initiatives supporting Hong Kong's international financial centre status.

"The MoU will facilitate the AoF to expand its network in the Chinese Mainland," said AoF CEO Enoch Fung, noting previous collaborations with Tsinghua PBCSF had delivered "highly positive outcomes."

The signing took place with Arthur Yuen, Deputy Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, present as a witness—a detail that underscores the HKMA's backing despite not being a direct signatory.

Part of a Broader Pattern

This agreement fits into a series of cross-border financial partnerships Hong Kong has pursued recently. The HKMA signed a payment systems linkage deal with the People's Bank of China in August 2024, and inked a debt markets cooperation agreement with the UAE's central bank in December 2024.

The AoF itself operates with backing from Hong Kong's four major financial regulators: the HKMA, Securities and Futures Commission, Insurance Authority, and Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority. That multi-regulator structure gives partnerships like this one broader institutional weight than a typical academic collaboration.

For fintech companies and digital asset firms watching Hong Kong's regulatory trajectory, these academic-regulatory partnerships often signal where policy attention is heading. The explicit mention of "cutting-edge research and implementation in financial technology" and building a "vibrant fintech ecosystem" suggests continued regulatory interest in the space.

Concrete outcomes from the partnership—specific research initiatives, conference dates, or policy recommendations—remain to be announced.