“…two banks have now applied to use it for the trialing of biometric authentication technologies for use in securities trading.”
A new effort by Hong Kong authorities to help foster innovation in the territory’s banking sector is starting to pay off.
Dubbed a ‘sandbox’ by regulators with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, it’s essentially a virtual testing ground for new technologies before they’re brought to the wider market. It has only recently gone live, and two banks have now applied to use it for the trialing of biometric authentication technologies for use in securities trading.
No details regarding the specific modalities in play have been revealed, but speaking to Reuters, HKMA head Norman Chan said authorities are in discussion with more banks regarding the testing of AI, blockchain, and other new technologies. The activity all points to a strong interest in Hong Kong’s financial services sector in exploring new, digital technologies.
Given that some Hong Kong banks have been close to the forefront in bringing voice recognition to their call-in centers, that interest should come as little surprise. And with the HKMA’s new sandbox to play with, we may see the emergence of many more interesting FinTech in Hong Kong soon.
Source: Reuters
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November 11, 2016 – by Alex Perala
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