PANews reported on April 20th that Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po outlined the opportunities and challenges brought about by the convergence of Web3 and artificial intelligence at the 2026 Hong Kong Fintech Week. Chan pointed out that financial institutions are increasingly using digital asset tokenization to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and shorten settlement times, covering a wider range of asset types from currencies and bonds to real estate and future income. He emphasized that digital intelligence is being embedded in the economy, and this year, the rise of agent-based artificial intelligence is another noteworthy milestone. These agents can analyze information, make decisions, and execute actions independently, including direct interaction and interaction with other systems. Undoubtedly, this interest and the intersection of Web3 and artificial intelligence will be a game-changer.

Paul Chan also outlined three major challenges that must be addressed collectively: First, infrastructure such as payment and settlement needs to develop in tandem, requiring global standards and close cross-border cooperation; second, given AI's autonomous decision-making capabilities, it's crucial to ensure humans remain in control, making AI behavior predictable and traceable; and third, regulatory and governance frameworks need to keep pace to ensure proper protection for investors, users, and consumers, while addressing risks such as cybersecurity, fraud, and systemic bias. He emphasized that decentralization and digital intelligence do not imply reduced accountability or lower standards, but rather should facilitate smarter ways of integrating compliance and oversight mechanisms into the financial system.