FTAHK Podcast

Jonathan Yip, Head of Innovation Banking Asia at HSBC Innovation Banking, joins host Priscilla Adams (Board Member, FTAHK) for a wide-ranging conversation on Hong Kong's role in Asia's innovation race — from the origins of HSBC's Innovation Banking division to what "Fintech 2030" really means in practice.

Jonathan traces his 18-year HSBC career across Malta, Hong Kong, Silicon Valley, and Korea, explains how HSBC's 2023 acquisition of Silicon Valley Bank UK became the catalyst for building a global innovation banking platform, and breaks down how Hong Kong, Mainland China, India, Singapore, and Australia each play a distinct role in the region's tech ecosystem. The conversation closes with his framework for career growth: "you create your own luck."

⏱ TIMESTAMPS

(00:00:00) – Welcome & introducing Jonathan Yip

(00:02:00) – Jonathan's 18-year HSBC journey: Malta to Hong Kong to Silicon Valley to Korea

(00:09:00) – The Silicon Valley Bank acquisition and the birth of HSBC Innovation Banking

(00:13:00) – Inside Innovation Banking: how the teams serve VCs and founders

(00:18:00) – Asia's fintech landscape: Mainland China, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia

(00:24:00) – Hong Kong's "secret sauce" and its role in Fintech 2030

(00:29:00) – Talent, universities, and Hong Kong's innovation culture

(00:34:00) – The subtle future of AI: companionship and human-AI coexistence

(00:40:00) – Banking's real role in innovation & the iPhone analogy

(00:44:00) – Debunking innovation myths & advice for the next generation

Like, subscribe, and join us on this journey.

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🎧 Watch more episodes: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNktTa1qqgRQ⁠

Website:⁠ https://ftahk.org/⁠

LinkedIn:⁠ https://linkedin.com/company/ftahkofficial⁠

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WhatsApp:⁠ https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9dJj7A2pL2WsyCTu3k⁠

#FTAHK #HSBC #InnovationBanking #FintechHongKong #HongKongFinTech #Fintech2030 #GreaterBayArea #AIinFinance

How are fintech, AI, and green tech converging to reshape the future of global finance? 

In this episode 5 of the FTAHK Podcast, host Caroline York speaks with King Leung, Global Head of Financial Services, Fintech, and Sustainability at InvestHK, to explore how Hong Kong is leveraging cutting-edge technology and human trust to drive cross-border capital flows. 

King breaks down how practical material innovations are compressing ROI payback cycles for green tech, why human judgment remains irreplaceable in business decisions, and how InvestHK connects investors across global markets.

We dive into:

• How King Leung’s multi-disciplinary experience shapes strategic policy

• How InvestHK actively bridges investors and institutions in Hong Kong

• Moving green fintech from a "feel-good" cost center to a high-yield asset

• How practical green technology can be a real-world climate solution

• The evolution of Web3 infrastructure and regulated HKD stablecoins

• Why human intuition remains indispensable when making international deals

• Hong Kong’s position as an international wealth management hub

Here are the timestamps for the key topics discussed in the video:

(00:00:00) - Teaser 

(00:01:15) - Rapid Fire: Realistic vs. Optimistic on AI & FinTech

(00:04:20) - Personal Journey to InvestHK

(00:09:35) - What Does InvestHK Actually Do? 

(00:14:50) - The Green Tech ROI Dilemma

(00:20:25) - Real-World Innovation

(00:25:15) - Hong Kong as a Super Connector for the Global South & GCC

(00:30:55) - Digital Money Evolution: Stablecoins, RWAs & Gold Vaults

(00:37:20) - Bridging Cultural Gaps in International Deal-Making

(00:42:35) - The Human Factor: Why Trust & Storytelling Beat AI

👇 Watch the full conversation above and leave your thoughts in the comments! 

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Stay connected for more insightful episodes:

Website: https://ftahk.org/

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#Fintech #AI #FintechPodcast #HongKongFintech #FTAHKPodcast #FinancialTechnology #GreenFintech #Web3 #HKDStablecoins #HongKongFinance

From growing up in Cincinnati to becoming the first foreign intern at a major Chinese securities firm, to founding one of DeFi's most resilient projects — John Mullin, Founder and CEO of MANTRA, joins the FTAHK Podcast to share the full story behind building, losing, rebuilding, and scaling in crypto. This episode traces his path from early fascination with global finance and demographic shifts, through the "Summer of DeFi," platform exploits, the post-FTX/Luna downturn, and MANTRA's pivot into Real World Asset (RWA) tokenization — culminating in its acquisition by Inveniam.

Key Takeaways:

◼ How an early interest in emerging markets and fintech (dating back to 2013) led John from Shanghai to Hong Kong to founding MANTRA DAO

◼ Building a DeFi lending protocol on Polkadot during the 2020 "Summer of DeFi"

◼ Surviving platform exploits and market crashes through transparency and open regulator communication

◼ Securing the first DeFi-related license from Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA)

◼ MANTRA's pivot to a sovereign RWA Layer 1 blockchain built on Cosmos — and its resulting valuation growth

◼ Inside the $20M investment and acquisition by Inveniam

◼ What's next: AI, blockchain, and compliant asset management

If you're interested in RWA tokenization, DeFi regulation, crypto crisis management, or what it actually takes to survive as a builder in Web3, this episode is a must-watch.

Here are the timestamps for the key topics discussed in the video:

(00:00:00) - Teaser

(00:01:14) - Introduction and This-or-That Segment

(00:04:19) - Personal Journey, Education, and Early Career

(00:13:07) - Relocating to Hong Kong

(00:15:08) - Lessons in Leadership & Resiliency

(00:19:18) - Launching MANTRA DAO

(00:23:16) - Product Expansion and Exploits

(00:29:50) - Securing Dubai's VARA License

(00:38:25) - The Sudden Crash and Crisis Management

(00:45:28) - Partnering with Inveniam and Future Plans

🎧 New episodes drop regularly — subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an FTAHK Podcast conversation on the people and ideas shaping the future of fintech and digital assets.

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Website: https://ftahk.org/

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#RWA #RealWorldAssets #Tokenization #MANTRA #DeFi #CryptoRegulation #Blockchain #Web3 #CryptoPodcast #FTAHKPodcast #DigitalAssets #FinTech #JohnMullin

Produced by: ‪@rhstudiocentral‬

In this episode, Katie He, Head of Strategic Business at ChinaAMC Hong Kong, shares her journey from working in traditional finance in London to leading Asia's most innovative digital asset launches. Discover why Hong Kong's unique position as a global financial super-connector makes it the ultimate destination for financial growth and Web3 innovation right now.From launching Asia's first crypto ETFs to pioneering multi-currency tokenized money market funds and tokenized gold, Katie breaks down how financial infrastructure is permanently moving on-chain and what it means for institutional and retail investors.✅ Subscribe to  @FTAHKofficial  on YouTube to stay updated with the latest content. Stay connected for more insightful episodes:Website: https://ftahk.org/LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/ftahkofficialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/FTAHKofficial/#Fintech #Tokenization #AssetManagement #Web3 #Blockchain #FutureOfFinance #HongKong #DigitalAssets #ChinaAMCHK #GoldETFProduced by:  @rhstudiocentral  ​

What is AI really—and are we overestimating what it can do?

In Episode 2 of the FTAHK Podcast, we sit down with Maxim Afanasyev, Financial Services Head for APAC & Japan at Google Cloud, to unpack the reality behind artificial intelligence, banking transformation, and the future of applied AI.

From AI agents and hyper-personalization to the limits of automation, this conversation goes beyond the hype to explore what actually drives value in the real world.

We dive into:

• What AI actually is (prediction vs. causality)

• Why replacing humans with AI agents in banking may backfire

• The risk of over-automating business decisions

• Hyper-personalization and the “filter bubble” effect

• Why applied AI experts are still extremely rare globally

• Whether AI is truly learning or just replicating patterns

• How Asia is leading in AI adoption across financial services

Maxim also shares insights from his journey through McKinsey, Standard Chartered, and Google Cloud—and why the future of AI is less about replacing humans, and more about combining technology with critical thinking and business transformation.

AI is powerful—but without the right people and strategy, it can create more risk than value.

👉 Watch till the end for Maxim’s definition of AI in one word.

🎧 Listen, subscribe, and join us as we explore the people and ideas shaping the future of fintech and AI.

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Stay connected for more insightful episodes:

Website: https://ftahk.org/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/ftahkofficial

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#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Fintech #FTAHKPodcast #GoogleCloud #Banking #DigitalTransformation #MachineLearning #AppliedAI #FutureOfWork #AIAgents #HyperPersonalization #DataScience #TechPodcast #FinancialServices

The FTAHK podcast is coming your way! 🎙️The official podcast of the FinTech Association of Hong Kong brings together policy makers, visionary founders, and institutional leaders to decode the trends, tech, and regulations shaping Asia’s premier financial hub.Get a first look at what’s in store 👀Like, subscribe and join us on this journey.

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Stay connected for more insightful episodes:

• Website
• FTAHK Become a member
• FTAHK Events
• LinkedIn
• WhatsApp

In this pilot episode, Victor Yim, Head of AI at @Cyberport Hong Kong joins host Caroline York to tell us the story of his journey to prominence, what he has learned, the advice he would pass on, and his perspective on the future of AI and Hong Kong.

(00:00:00) Teaser / Highlight Clip

(00:01:20) Introduction of Guest Victor Yim

(00:02:18) - Snowboarding Passion and Personal Life

(00:03:22) - Career Background and Transitions (IBM, Nice Actimize, TransUnion)

(00:04:39) - RegTech, Fraud Detection, and Traditional Deep Learning

(00:09:55) - Generative AI and Visual Language Models (VLM)

(00:10:41) - Transition to Cyberport and Broadening Ecosystem Knowledge

(00:11:32) - Public vs. Commercial Lens in a Startup Accelerator Space

(00:13:03) - Startup Success Stories (OneDegree / AFT, Endowus)

(00:17:14) - AI Landscape, Funding, and Regulation in Hong Kong

(00:20:58) - AI Adoption for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and "Vibe Coding"

(00:22:50) - Key Founder Traits for Success (Charisma, Co-founders, and Harsh Realities)

(00:28:55) - Strategy for Going Global and Hong Kong as a Springboard

(00:32:35) - Hong Kong's Global Leadership in Financial Asset Classes

(00:35:53) - Global Talent Attraction and Lifestyle in Hong Kong vs. Singapore

(00:39:15) - Final Advice and Wrap-up

✅ Subscribe to ‪@FTAHKofficial‬ on YouTube to stay updated with the latest content. Stay connected for more insightful episodes:

Website: https://ftahk.org/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/ftahkofficial

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FTAHKofficial/

#Fintech #Web3 #HongKong #AI #Blockchain #Leadership #Startups #Podcast