Letter from Chairman
Anthony Neoh
In recent years, the Digital Asset market has experienced a leap from the margins to the mainstream, with its scale expanding at an astonishing pace. The market capitalization of mainstream crypto assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum has surpassed the trillion-dollar mark, and the total value locked in various decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols has also grown exponentially. Furthermore, new forms of Digital Assets such as Real World Asset tokenization (RWA), Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT), and stablecoins are emerging continuously, further broadening the market's breadth and depth.
In 2022, the Hong Kong Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau issued the "Policy Statement on Development of Virtual Assets in Hong Kong". Since the publication of this policy document, the Hong Kong government has frequently introduced policies to promote the development of virtual assets, sparing no effort in advancing the development of Digital Assets. Targeting Digital Assets, Hong Kong launched three initiatives: issuing Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT) during Hong Kong FinTech Week, green bond tokenization, and the digital Hong Kong dollar. Currently, all three initiatives have been completed or achieved phased results. It is worth mentioning that Bitcoin and Ethereum spot and futures ETFs have been successively launched in Hong Kong, continuously enriching the product matrix. Hong Kong has also innovatively launched Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs with physical subscription and redemption, positioning itself at the forefront of innovation.
To build Hong Kong into a globally leading Digital Asset management center, with active support from all sectors, the Hong Kong Institute of Chartered Digital Asset Analysts (abbreviated as "the Institute") was officially established on September 1, 2023. The Institute's mission is to create an authoritative qualification and certification similar to CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) in Digital Assets by providing professional training, examinations, and qualification certification, thereby providing professional talent and intellectual support for Hong Kong's Digital Asset industry and building Hong Kong into a global Digital Asset center.
The Institute will collaborate with the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) to jointly organize the "Hong Kong Digital Asset Analyst Qualification Examination". This examination will comprehensively cover the necessary knowledge and skills in Digital Asset. Through rigorous examination and assessment processes, this examination aims to help Digital Asset-related institutions effectively screen and certify professional Digital Asset talent. The Institute hopes to utilize various resources and work through multiple channels to contribute to the healthy development of the Digital Asset industry in Hong Kong and enhance Hong Kong's competitiveness in the global Digital Assets industry.