Hong Kong is looking into building a trade-financing system using blockchain technology, a senior official said. Blockchain, the decentralized encryption technology behind cryptocurrencies, could provide “great benefits” to trade finance in countries participating in China’s Belt and Road initiative, said James Henry Lau, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, at a forum Friday.
Blockchain works by automatically recording transactions in inerasable digital ledgers distributed across a network in which all data is visible to every member of the network and transactions don’t require a central authority’s approval. This technology could cut the huge input of human resources and time that trade financing traditionally requires, reduce chances of fraud and lower companies’ investment costs through more efficient settlements, according to Lau.
Trade along the Belt and Road is mostly conducted by small and medium-sized enterprises, so blockchain’s distributed ledger technology could help by cutting out the need for a central organization and middlemen.
In March, Hong Kong completed a proof-of-concept project that demonstrated how blockchain can be used to digitize contracts and cut the risk of fraud and duplicate transactions.
Brian Wang is a prolific business-oriented writer of emerging and disruptive technologies. He is known for insightful articles that combine business and technical analysis that catches the attention of the general public and is also useful for those in the industries. He is the sole author and writer of
nextbigfuture.com, the top online science blog. He is also involved in angel investing and raising funds for breakthrough technology startup companies.
He gave the recent keynote presentation at Monte Jade event with a talk entitled the Future for You. He gave an annual update on molecular nanotechnology at Singularity University on nanotechnology, gave a TEDX talk on energy, and advises USC ASTE 527 (advanced space projects program). He has been interviewed for radio, professional organizations. podcasts and corporate events. He was recently interviewed by the radio program Steel on Steel on satellites and high altitude balloons that will track all movement in many parts of the USA.
He fundraises for various high impact technology companies and has worked in computer technology, insurance, healthcare and with corporate finance.
He has substantial familiarity with a broad range of breakthrough technologies like age reversal and antiaging, quantum computers, artificial intelligence, ocean tech, agtech, nuclear fission, advanced nuclear fission, space propulsion, satellites, imaging, molecular nanotechnology, biotechnology, medicine, blockchain, crypto and many other areas.
