The Government today announced the successful pricing of around HK$20 billion worth of digital green bonds denominated in HK dollars (HKD), Renminbi, US dollars and euros under its Sustainable Bond Programme.
The issuance has once again set a new record for the largest digital bond issuance in the world.
It also reinforced the Government’s commitment to promoting innovation in the bond market.
Alongside traditional settlement rails and the tokenised central bank money option introduced in the previous issuance, tokenised deposits, empowered by EnsembleTX, were incorporated into the primary issuance settlement process for the HKD tranche of this issuance.
It represented the world’s first digital bond that integrates tokenised deposits in HKD, advancing towards a more integrated digital ecosystem, and laying a foundation for exploring the programmable features of digital money.
This issuance also continued to advance adoption of global standards. By adopting the International Capital Market Association’s latest Bond Data Taxonomy Version 2.0, the issuance promoted greater data consistency, interoperability and end-to-end automation across the bond lifecycle.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan said the Government has successfully issued digital green bonds for the fourth time, totalling HK$20 billion, which is the largest issuance of its kind globally.
He highlighted that the offering was oversubscribed, demonstrating strong market appetite for tokenised products issued in Hong Kong.
Mr Chan also noted that these bonds, denominated in multiple currencies, cater to the asset diversification needs of both local and overseas investors, and have incorporated a range of innovative technologies to further advance innovation in the bond market.
“The Government will continue to issue tokenised bonds on a regular basis, expand the use cases for the underlying technologies, and harness fintech to empower the bond market’s continued development,” he added.
Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui said this issuance demonstrated the Government’s ongoing commitment to supporting innovative forms of bond issuance and driving green transformation.
He added that it will also further enhance society’s understanding of the integration of sustainable development and fintech, while strengthening Hong Kong’s position as a leading global green and sustainable finance hub.