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AI and Blockchain Innovations Propel Singapore’s Fintech Evolution Amid Investment Recalibration: KPMG’s Pulse of Fintech H2’24
- Singapore’s fintech investment recalibrated to US$1.3 billion in 2024, in line with global shifts toward sustainable growth.
- Crypto and blockchain investment increased 22 percent in H2’24 to US$267 million, driven by AI-integrated solutions.
- AI-powered fintech surged, with investment jumping from US$24 million in H1’24 to US$160 million in H2’24, reflecting demand for regtech and automation.
- H2’24 fintech deal value grew 41 percent, reflecting a shift toward high-value, early-stage investments.
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 February 2025 – Singapore’s fintech sector recalibrated in 2024, with investment totaling US$1.3 billion, the lowest level since 2020. This strategic pivot reflects a global trend as fintech investment reached a seven-year low of US$95.6 billion. Despite reduced funding levels, Singapore’s focus on innovation and sustainability positions it as a leader in AI-driven solutions and blockchain advancements, according to KPMG’s Pulse of Fintech H2’24 report.
Singapore’s Resilience in Fintech Innovation
While the cautious investment environment slowed overall funding, Singapore remains a hub for fintech innovation. Crypto and blockchain investment rose 22 percent in H2’24, reaching US$267 million, fuelled by AI-powered digital asset solutions and blockchain-based financial infrastructure. Strong regulatory frameworks and institutional interest have solidified Singapore’s role as a strategic leader in these emerging sectors.
AI-powered fintech also made significant gains, with investment soaring from US$24 million in H1’24 to nearly US$160 million in H2’24. Investor interest was particularly strong for regtech, business automation and agentic AI solutions.
“If what we’ve seen in the broader investment space is any indication, AI could be a sleeping giant for fintech investment,” said Anton Ruddenklau, Lead of Global Innovation and Fintech, Financial Services, KPMG International. “However, right now, it’s still very early days. There’s definitely a lot of interest in AI, generative AI, agentic AI and automation, but there’s a lot of caution too. Over the next year, AI-focused regtechs will likely see the most traction among investors as financial services companies look for better ways to respond to the increasingly complex regulatory environment.
Shifting Dynamics in Investment Focus
H2’24 saw the total value of Singapore’s fintech deals rise 41 percent, hitting US$781 million, even as deal volume dropped 36 percent. This underscores a growing emphasis on later-stage deals with high scalability and near-term profitability. Early-stage VC interest remains strong as quality-driven investments gain traction.
Globally, fintech investment also trended towards practical solutions, with funding focused on blockchain infrastructure, climate tech and compliance-driven technologies. This alignment with global priorities underscores Singapore’s adaptability and competitive edge.
The Role of Regulatory Clarity in Blockchain Growth
The blockchain and crypto space in Singapore benefitted significantly from regulatory stability, with H2’24 blockchain investment rising by over 20 percent to reach US$267 million. This growth was spurred by AI-powered blockchain applications, blockchain-as-a-service platforms and notable funding rounds such as Partior’s US$80 million raise for its blockchain-based interbank settlement network—the largest in the Asia-Pacific region.
These advancements position Singapore for continued leadership in the digital assets space while aligning with international regulatory trends.
Global investment in digital assets reached US$9.1 billion in 2024—the highest total ever outside of the outlier years of 2022 and 2023, focusing on market infrastructure, tokenisation, and stablecoins. During H2’24, four of the five largest deals occurred in the Americas, including Stripe’s US$1.1 billion acquisition of stablecoin infrastructure company Bridge, a US$525 million raise by Praxis, and a US$200 million raise by Current—all based in the US—and a US$210 million raise by Canada-based Blockstream. A US$100 million raise by UK-based Crytocoin accounted for the largest deal in the EMEA region.
Payments sector in Singapore faces maturity challenges
Singapore’s payments sector, ranked third among fintech verticals, showcased resilience despite operating in a mature ecosystem. H2’24 witnessed a rise in deal count, with nine transactions totalling US$57.4 million. Innovations like FAST, PayNow, and SGQR provide a robust foundation for the sector, enabling further growth in tailored and scalable payment solutions. Opportunity in this fintech segment lies in cross-border and regional expansion, positioning Singapore as a hub for Asia’s payment growth.
On the global stage, the payments sector demonstrated strong momentum in 2024, with funding nearly doubling year-on-year to reach US$31 billion. While this funding surge was heavily influenced by consolidation and strategic transactions, it highlighted the sector’s critical role in the fintech ecosystem. Landmark deals included GRCR’s US$12.5 billion acquisition of Worldpay and Advent International’s US$6.3 billion privatisation of Nuvei, alongside other notable activities such as Mynt’s US$788 million VC raise in the Philippines.
A Forward-Looking Market Outlook
Amid a recalibrating investment landscape, Singapore’s focus on sustainable growth, innovation, and emerging technologies positions the country at the forefront of fintech evolution. With declining interest rates and easing global election uncertainties, 2025 offers opportunities for increased fintech deal activity and new momentum in AI, blockchain, and digital payments. The Singapore Budget 2025 further accelerates this momentum, introducing initiatives to help businesses access and integrate AI at scale and to attract entrepreneurial talent to establish and grow ventures in Singapore.
| H2 2024 | H1 2024 | |||
| Fintech verticals | Total value
US$ (million) |
No of deals | Total value
US$ (million) |
No of deals |
| Reg Tech | $1.5 | 4 | $2.2 | 4 |
| Insur Tech | $100.0 | 2 | $41.5 | 2 |
| Cybersecurity | $3.0 | 1 | $3.0 | 1 |
| Payments | $57.4 | 9 | $66.2 | 6 |
| Digital assets and currencies (crypto/blockchain) | $267.0 | 53 | $219.1 | 82 |
| AI & ML
*these deals are also tagged with other fintech verticals |
$159.9 | 12 | $24.1 | 15 |
Figure 1: Singapore’s fintech verticals deal values and volume for H1 2024 and H2 2024
| Singapore | Global | |||
| Fintech verticals | Ranking | Deal Size | Ranking | Deal Size |
| US$ (million) | US$ (billion) | |||
| Digital assets and currencies (crypto/blockchain) | #1 | $486.09 | #2 | $9.10 |
| Insurtech | #2 | $141.50 | #4 | $3.10 |
| Payments | #3 | $123.60 | #1 | $31.00 |
| Cybersecurity | #4 | $6.00 | #5 | $0.90 |
| Regtech | #5 | $3.71 | #3 | $7.40 |
| Wealthtech | #6 | 0 | #6 | $0.40 |
Figure 2: Ranking of top Singapore and Global’s fintech verticals in deal values for 2024
Global fintech investment
Regionally, the Americas attracted the largest share of fintech investment in 2024—US$63.8 billion across 2,267 deals, including US$50.7 billion across 1,836 deals in the US. The EMEA region attracted US$20.3 billion across 1,465 deals, while the ASPAC region saw US$11.4 billion across 896 deals. At a sector level, the payments space attracted the largest share of investment (US$31 billion), followed by digital assets and currencies (US$9.1 billion), and regtech (US$7.4 billion).
“It’s been a rough year for nearly everyone—fintechs, corporates, VC and PE firms—given the breadth of challenges and uncertainties in the global market. With only a handful of exceptions, no one wanted to pull the trigger on the largest deals—which have long been a mainstay in fintech investment,” said Karim Haji, Global Head of Financial Services, KPMG International. “But there’s a lot to be positive about heading into 2025. Many critical elections are behind us and investment and deal activity is beginning to pick up. We are starting to see more deals coming through because of interest rate cuts in different jurisdictions and the lower cost of funding. However, we will have to wait and see if the changing world trading conditions impact inflation, interest rates and consequently these positive signs of market change.”
Global Key Highlights for 2024
- Global fintech investment fell from US$119.8 billion across 5,382 deals in 2023 to US$95.6 billion across 4,639 deals in 2024.
- The Americas attracted US$63.8 billion in fintech investment across 2,267 deals in 2024, of which the US accounted for US$50.7 billion across 1,836 deals; the EMEA region attracted US$20.3 billion across 1,4645 deals, while the ASPAC region attracted US$11.2 billion across 896 deals.
- Global M&A deal value fell from $60.2 billion to US$49.6 billion between 2023 and 2024; while H2’24 was softer than H1’24, M&A deal value rose from US$7.4 billion to US$14.2 billion between Q3’24 and Q4’24.
- PE investment declined significantly, falling from US$10.5 billion in 2023 to just US$2.6 billion in 2024, while VC investment saw a modest drop from US$49.2 billion in 2023 to US$43.4 billion in 2024.
- Payments was the strongest area of fintech investment globally in 2024, with US$31 billion in investment compared to just US$17.2 billion in 2023; other sectors that saw investment rise year-over-year included digital assets and currencies —from US$8.7 billion to US$9.1 billion, regtech—from US$4.4 billion to US$7.4 billion, proptech—from US$1.9 billion to US$3 billion, and wealthtech—from US$190 million to US$400 million.
- Corporate VC-participating investment globally fell from US$26 .9 billion in 2023 to US$19.6 billion in 2024; only the EMEA region saw corporate investment in VC deals rise—from US$5.1 billion to US$5.8 billion year-over-year. The Americas saw CVC drop from US$13.8 billion to US$9.9 billion, while ASPAC saw CVC investment drop from US$8.0 billion to US$3.9 billion.
Global: Americas sees VC investment drop to six-year low despite record high in Canada
The Americas saw total fintech investment drop from US$77.6 billion in 2023 to a six-year low of US$63.8 billion in 2024. The US accounted for $50.7 billion of this funding—a decline from US$72.8 billion in 2023. Outside of the US, Canada saw a record high of US$9.5 billion in fintech investment during 2024—driven in large part by the buyout of Nuvei—while investment in Brazil softened from US$2.3 billion to US$1.4 billion. Fintech investment dropped slightly from US$32.8 billion to US$31 billion between H1’24 and H2’24. On a more positive note, investment almost doubled between Q3’24 and Q4’24, rising from US$10.8 billion to US$20.2 billion. Within the US, fintech investment dropped from US$28.8 billion to US$21.9 billion between H1’24 and H2’24, although it also rose from US$9.9 billion to US$11.9 billion between Q3’24 and Q4’24.
Global: Fintech investment in EMEA region sinks to US$20.3 billion—lowest total since 2016
Fintech investment in the EMEA region fell from $27.6 billion across 1,833 deals in 2023 to just US$20.3 billion across 1,465 deals in 2024. H2’24 also saw a significant drop compared to H1’24—from US$13 billion across 820 deals to just US$7.3 billion across 645 deals. While the UK accounted for nearly half of all fintech investment in the EMEA region during 2024 (US$9.9 billion), the total was a significant decline compared to 2023 (US$13.6 billion). Germany also saw fintech investment drop between 2024 and 2025—from US$961 million to a ten-year low of US$815 million. The Middle East saw the most positive results in EMEA during 2024, with fintech investment rising from US$1.2 billion to US$2.2 billion year-over year.
Global: Asia-Pacific region sees lowest level of fintech investment in a decade
Total fintech investment in the ASPAC region fell from US$14.6 billion in 2023 to US11.4 billion in 2024—the lowest level of fintech funding seen in the region since 2014. India accounted for the largest share of this total (US$4.1 billion), led by a US$.5 billion raise by WSB Real estate partners in H1’24. Total fintech investment in China dropped from US$2.6 billion to just US$687 million between 2023 and 2024, while Australia saw fintech investment nearly double from US$840 million to US$2.1 billion; fintech investment in Japan held nearly steady year-over-year at US$660 million.
A sense of optimism for 2025
With interest rates declining in many jurisdictions and election uncertainties finally easing, there’s a cautious sense of optimism within the fintech market heading into 2025. The average time between deals has also lengthened significantly, from approximately fifteen months in 2022 to twenty-four months in 2025—the longest it has been in the last decade—which could make 2025 a critical year for deal-making as fintechs look to ensure their continued operations.
While the payments space will likely remain the biggest ticket of investment globally, digital assets and currencies are well positioned for an upswing in investment—particularly when it comes to market infrastructure, digital tokenisation, and stablecoins. AI is also expected to remain a key priority for investors, with regtech and cybersecurity-related solutions likely to see the most interest in H1’25.
Hashtag: #KPMG’
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About KPMG International
KPMG is a global organization of independent professional services firms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services. KPMG is the brand under which the member firms of KPMG International Limited (“KPMG International”) operate and provide professional services. “KPMG” is used to refer to individual member firms within the KPMG organization or to one or more member firms collectively.
KPMG firms operate in 143 countries and territories with more than 273,000 partners and employees working in member firms around the world. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such. Each KPMG member firm is responsible for its own obligations and liabilities.
KPMG International Limited is a private English company limited by guarantee. KPMG International Limited and its related entities do not provide services to clients.
Media OutReach
Results of the IX Digital Asset Industry Classification System (“DAICS®”) 2H 2025 Review
- DAICS® coin coverage: As of 3rd December, the top 50 coins by average market capitalization across the past 90 days
- DAICS® market capitalization coverage: 96.98%*
- The % coverage of market capitalization of the 50th ranked coin: 0.048%**
- Member changes within the Top 50 Coins in DAICS®: eight coins added and nine coins deleted
- Additions: Zcash (ZEC), World Liberty Financial USD (WUSD), PayPalUSD (PYUSD), Memecore (M), Worldcoin (WLD), Story (IP), Arbitrum (ARB), KuCoin (KCS)
- Deletions: Mantra (OM), GateToken (GT), Official Trump (TRUMP), VeChain (VET), Render (RENDER), First Digital USD (FDUSD), Filecoin (FIL), Cosmos (ATOM), Algorand (ALGO)
- 9 Green Coins labelled: Cronos (CRO), Pi (PI), Internet Computer (ICP), Hedera, Sui (SUI), Toncoin (TON), Arbitrum (ARB), Mantle (MNT), Tron (TRX)
Note:
*Special currency treatment of DAICS® applies, where any wrapped or second-level cryptocurrency is not considered in the calculation for the market capitalization of DAICS®
**Based on 3rd December 2025
G: Green Coin
The rankings of additions and deletions for the DAICS® top 50 cryptocurrencies are listed in Appendix 1. All classification changes, including the ixCrypto Infrastructure Index and ixCrypto Stablecoin index, will take effect on 23rd January 2026, with market capitalization, rankings, and weightings available at www.ix-index.com.
1. Cryptocurrencies
1.1. Structure and Definitions
Tier 1: Industry Changes
The industry groups remain unchanged, with 5 industries and the respective weightings as follows:
| Industry | Weighting (%) |
| Payment (110) | 73.87% |
| Infrastructure (120) | 19.89% |
| Financial Services (130) | 4.82% |
| Tech & Data (140) | 0.22% |
| Media & Entertainment (150) | 1.20% |
Tier 2: Sector Changes
The number of sectors has increased from 17 to 18. There is one new sector added under the industry group “Tech & Data (140)”:
Identification (14040)
Definition: Cryptocurrencies that facilitate decentralized identity authentication and/or blockchain-based validation of digital intellectual property rights. The classification emphasizes trust, data consent, and privacy as core architectural features while the crypto by itself is not an identity token.
1.2. Reclassification Changes
This review doesn’t have any reclassification of the existing coins. The DAICS® 2H 2025 cryptocurrencies classification is available in Appendix 2.
1.3. Green Coin Label
This review identifies 9 Green Coins, classified based on their energy-per-unit-transaction, which is defined as the amount of energy consumed for a successful single unit transaction of the coin in the blockchain network. The coins selected rank in the top 20 percentile of the least energy-consuming cryptocurrencies out of the 50 DAICS® constituents. The top 20 percentile’s threshold in this review is ≤ 0.150 Wh. The table below lists these low-energy coins.
| Industry | Low Energy-per-transaction (≤ 0.150 Wh) | |
| Payment (110) | CROG PIG |
|
| Infrastructure (120) | ICPG SUIG ARBG TRXG |
HBARG TONG MNTG |
| Financial Services (130) | NIL | |
| Tech & Data (140) | NIL | |
| Media & Entertainment (150) | NIL | |
Note: G as ‘Green Coin‘ labelling for cryptocurrencies that adhere to the principles of sustainability
2. Asset Backed Tokens (ABT)
2.1. Structure and Definitions
Tier 1: Asset Type Changes
The asset types remain unchanged at 6 as follows:
1) Culture (205),
2) Real Estate (215),
3) Financials (235),
4) Entertainment (255),
5) Natural Resources (265), and
6) Green Economy (275)
Tier 2: Branch Changes
The number of branches has increased from 31 to 32, with a new branch added under Financials (235): Tokenized funds (23540).
2.2. Classification Changes
This review doesn’t have any reclassification of the existing assets.
2.3. Coverage of DAICS®
A classification summary and definition table of both cryptocurrencies and ABTs are available in Appendices 3 and 4. For further information regarding the methodology of the DAICS®, please refer to the “IX Digital Asset Industry Classification System”- principle and guiding methodology on the company website https://ix-index.com/daics.html.
For more details on DAICS® qualification criteria, please email [email protected].
Appendix 1
Additions
| Current Rank | Cryptocurrencies |
| 28 | Zcash (ZEC) |
| 31 | World Liberty Financial USD (WUSD) |
| 41 | PayPal USD (PYUSD) |
| 45 | MemeCore (M) |
| 46 | Worldcoin (WLD) |
| 49 | Story (IP) |
| 50 | Arbitrum (ARBG) |
| 51 | KuCoin (KCS) |
| Prev. Rank | Cryptocurrencies | Current Rank |
| 34 | Mantra (OM) | 300+ |
| 41 | GateToken (GT) | 67 |
| 43 | OFFICIAL TRUMP | 56 |
| 45 | VeChain (VET) | 55 |
| 46 | Render (RNDR) | 58 |
| 47 | First Digital USD (FDUSDG) | 71 |
| 48 | Filecoin (FIL) | 61 |
| 50 | Cosmos (ATOM) | 54 |
| 51 | Algorand (ALGO) | 52 |
G: Green Coin
Appendix 2
| Category
|
Industry | Sector | Cryptocurrencies | |
| Cryptocurrencies (1) | Payment:
Blockchain based money, designed for transactional purposes. This includes daily transactions usage and stablecoins. |
Transaction & Payment | BTC XRP BCH XLM LTC |
XMR CROG ZEC PIG KAS |
| Stablecoin | USDT USDC USDe |
DAI WUSD PYUSD |
||
| Infrastructure:
Bedrock blockchain that facilitates the operation of other decentralised applications. This includes the creation and running of dedicated blockchain platforms, achieving interoperability between networks, increasing the amount or speed of transactions etc |
Application Development Protocol & Smart Contract | ETH SOL TRXG ADA HYPE SUIG AVAX |
HBARG TONG NEAR ETC APT ICPG |
|
| Interoperability | LINK DOT |
ATOM | ||
| Scaling & Sharding | MNTG ARBG |
POL | ||
| Supporting System | NIL | |||
| Financial services:
Tokens that provide on-chain asset management services, crypto-exchange services, funding, lending and other capital markets related services |
Exchange Tokens | BNB LEO BGB |
UNI OKB KCS |
|
| Lending & Borrowing | AAVE | |||
| Staking | ENA | |||
| Financial Asset Tokenization | ONDO | |||
| Tech & Data:
Provision of data management and storage, and development of innovative crypto technology |
Storage & Sharing | NIL | ||
| Data Management | NIL | |||
| Artificial Intelligence | TAO | |||
| Identification (NEW) |
WLD | IP | ||
| Media & Entertainment:
Recreational and media services. Including content creation and distribution, advertising through crypto-asset incentive mechanisms, gaming and collectibles |
Social Media & Community | DOGE SHIB |
PEPE M |
|
| Streaming | NIL | |||
| Gaming | NIL | |||
| Metaverse | NIL | |||
Note:
G as ‘Green Coin‘ for cryptocurrencies that adhere to the principles of sustainability
NEW for newly added sector
Appendix 3
| Category | Industry | Sector | Sector definition |
| Cryptocurrencies (1) | Payment: (110)
Definition |
Transaction & Payment (11010) |
Cryptocurrencies that are used for store of value, unit of account, medium of exchange |
| Stablecoin (11020) |
Cryptocurrencies where price is pegged to a / a basket of, reference asset | ||
| Infrastructure: (120)
Definition |
Application Development Protocol & Smart Contract (12010) |
layer-1 blockchain network that facilitates DApp creation and smart contract execution and smart contract | |
| Interoperability (12020) |
Network that increases inter-connectivity and integration of the fragmented cryptocurrency ecosystem | ||
| Scaling & Sharding (12030) |
Networks that increase the ability to cope with the influx of many transactions at a time and blockchain network that can be split into smaller partitions, to improve scalability and process transactions quicker | ||
| Supporting System (12040) |
Networks/sidechains that improve functionality of layer-1 network | ||
| Financial services: (130)
Definition |
Exchange Tokens (13010) |
Cryptocurrencies that represent the stable coin in the exchange ecosystem and allow users to covert from digital asset on decentralised or centralised system int fiat currencies | |
| Lending & Borrowing (13020) |
Borrowing and lending crypto assets with interest in return and other secondary financial tools derived from primary underlying asset, such as crypto futures and options | ||
| Staking (13030) |
Holding and “staking” of certain amount of cryptocurrency in a wallet to facilitate network operations | ||
| Financial Asset Tokenization (13040)
|
Cryptocurrencies/protocols that focus on the tokenized issuance and management of financial assets | ||
| Tech & Data: (140)
Definition |
Storage & Sharing (14010) |
Crypto protocols that provide decentralized storage and/or sharing of data filing and resources. | |
| Data Management (14020) |
Networks/Protocols that facilitate the indexing and querying of data from blockchain(s), enabling efficient data retrieval and management for decentralized applications | ||
| Artificial Intelligence (14030) |
Cryptos/Protocols that facilitate the use of AI powered apps or projects directly using blockchain platform. | ||
| Identification (14040) (NEW) |
Cryptocurrencies that facilitate decentralized identity authentication and/or blockchain-based validation of digital intellectual property rights. The classification emphasizes trust, data consent, and privacy as core architectural features while the crypto by itself is not an identity token. | ||
| Media & Entertainment: (150)
Definition |
Social Media & Community (15010) |
Cryptos that provides mast social community and followers without a close secondary industry sector | |
| Streaming (15020) |
Cryptos that provides rights to access decentralised video-streaming sites | ||
| Gaming (15030) |
Cryptos which mainly used in gaming or gaming supporting industry | ||
| Metaverse (15040) |
Cryptos that is commonly used in collective virtual open space, created by the convergence of virtually enhanced physical and digital reality. This includes the use of VR and/or AR and/or 3D. |
Note: NEW for newly added sector
Appendix 4
| Category
|
Asset Type | Branch | Sub -branch |
| Asset-Backed Tokens (2) | Culture: (205)
Definition |
Art (20510) |
This shall be further developed in the future with more digital assets available in the market |
| Sports (20520) |
|||
| Festive Collectibles (20530) |
|||
| Design IPs (20540) |
|||
| Drama and Play IPs (20550) |
|||
| Real Estate:(215)
Definition |
Commercial Property (21510) |
||
| Residential Property (21520) |
|||
| Governmental Property (21530) |
|||
| Residential and Commercial Land (21540) |
|||
| Financials: (235)
Definition |
Tokenised Securities (Company Securities, ETF) (23510) |
||
| Tokenised Debts (23520) |
|||
| Tokenised REITs (23530) |
|||
| Tokenised Funds(NEW) (23540) |
|||
| Entertainment: (255)
Definition |
Movies (25510) |
This shall be further developed in the future with more digital assets available in the market |
|
| Songs (25520) |
|||
| Concerts (25530) |
|||
| Gaming (25540) |
|||
| All Other Entertainment Events and Collectibles (25550) |
|||
| Natural Resources: (265)
Definition |
Precious Metals (26510) |
||
| Agricultural (26520) |
|||
| Energy (26530) |
|||
| Metals (26540) |
|||
| Green Economy (275)
Definition |
No Poverty & Zero Hunger (27510) |
Following definition of the United Nations |
|
| Good Health and Well-Being (27520) |
|||
| Quality Education (27530) |
|||
| Gender Equality (27540) |
|||
| Clean Water and Sanitation/Affordable and Clean Energy (27550) |
|||
| Decent Work and Economic Growth/ Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure/ Partnerships for the Goals (27560) |
|||
| Reduced inequalities/ Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (27570) |
|||
| Sustainable Cities and Communities/Responsible Consumption and Production (27580) |
|||
| Climate Action (27590) |
|||
| Life Below Water & Life on Land (27500) |
Note: NEW for newly added branch
² United Nations 17 sustainable development goals covering 1) No Poverty 2) Zero Hunger 3) Good Health and Well-Being 4) Quality Education 5) Gender Equality 6) Clean Water and Sanitation 7) Affordable And Clean Energy 8) Decent Work and Economic Growth 9) Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure 10) Reduced inequalities 11) Sustainable Cities and Communities 12) Responsible Consumption and Production 13) Climate Action 14) Life Below Water 15) Life on Land 16) Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions and 17) Partnerships for the Goals https://sdgs.un.org/goals
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About DAICS®
DAICS® covers both cryptocurrencies and asset-backed tokens (“ABTs”), to be reviewed semi-annually at the end of June and December. On the cryptocurrency side, it is a three-tier system that groups cryptocurrencies into 5 main industries: 1) Payment, 2) Infrastructure, 3) Financial services, 4) Technology & Data, and 5) Media & Entertainment. These industries are further divided into sectors and sub-sectors to be introduced in the future. Under asset-backed tokens, there are 6 asset types: 1) Culture, 2) Real Estate, 3) Financials, 4) Entertainment, 5) Natural Resources, 6) Green Economy. These asset types are further divided into branches and sub-branches to be introduced in the future.
About the IX Asia Tokenization Advisory Committee and Working Group
The establishment of the IX Asia Tokenization Advisory Committee (“Advisory Committee”) is to pursue the goal and vision of formulating a standard for a global tokenization framework in a compliant and transparent way. The key role of the Advisory Committee is to formulate the guidelines and references for tokenization in terms of infrastructure, business, financial stability, sustainability, internal control, and classification. The Advisory Committee is comprised of industry-recognised leaders from blockchain consultancy, sustainable projects, and the field of the Art industry.
The establishment of the Working Group is to identify, evaluate and recommend key directions and founding principles according to their specific industry knowledge and expertise in relating to the creation of the specified token. It will examine and propose improvements to the guidelines and references for tokenization. The working group is formed of a diverse group of market experts representing relevant sectors and markets, to provide input and discuss case studies for creation of tokenization framework, best practices and development of real-world projects.
For more information about IX Asia Tokenization Advisory Committee & Working Group, please visit https://ix-index.com/tokenization-committee.html.
Media OutReach
Hong Kong Chinese Women’s Club College Wins Gold Award at the 2025 Hang Lung Mathematics Awards
Hang Lung’s Vision for Academic Excellence Drives Hong Kong’s Global Competitiveness
HONG KONG SAR & SHANGHAI, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 December 2025 – The winners of the 2025 Hang Lung Mathematics Awards (“HLMA”), co-organized by Hang Lung Properties Limited (SEHK Stock Code: 00101) (“Hang Lung” or the “Company”) and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (“HKUST”), have been announced. Siu Man Li from the Hong Kong Chinese Women’s Club College received the Gold Award for his research report titled “Markov Chains Associated with Ultraspherical Polynomials: An Analysis of Weak Convergence and First Passage Time Functionals”.
The Silver Award and the Bronze Award were won by Augus Kui Lam Huang, Inna Belle Lee, Chun Lam Lo, Lok Hei Qiao, and Cheuk Lok Wong from St. Paul’s Co-educational College, and Edison Sze Ho Fu, Yun Tung Ko, Hoi Chun Puk, and Wai Kwan Yeung from Queen’s College, respectively. All winning teams demonstrated exceptional problem-solving abilities, creativity, and academic rigor evident in their work on challenging mathematical topics.
The awards were presented at tonight’s ceremony, celebrating the remarkable achievements of the student finalists and reaffirming HLMA’s sustained contribution to advancing STEM education in Hong Kong. In her opening remarks, Dr. Choi Yuk-lin, JP, Secretary for Education of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said, “The Hang Lung Mathematics Awards not only honours mathematical endeavours, but also reflects its enduring commitment to inspiring a continued passion for mathematics among our students and nurturing Hong Kong’s young talents. This aligns well with the promotion of self-directed learning, problem solving and creativity in Hong Kong’s school education. I hope all of us in the society can join hands in the promotion of digital education and mathematical modelling for the benefit of our students.”
Mr. Adriel Chan, Chair of Hang Lung Properties, also addressed the audience, stating, “As we celebrate the winners of the Hang Lung Mathematics Awards, we are reminded that talent development is a long-term investment. HLMA embodies our commitment to nurturing the next generation of thinkers and leaders who will navigate an increasingly complex world. We are heartened by the strong support from students, schools, and the academic community, which reinforces our shared mission to advance mathematics education and push the boundaries of excellence. Together, we are empowering young minds to pursue their passion and unlock their potential in mathematics, science, and technology.”
Professor Nancy Ip, President of HKUST, said, “HKUST is pleased to continue our partnership with Hang Lung in this biennial competition. Hang Lung Mathematics Awards is more than an academic contest; it is a platform that challenges students to push the boundaries of their knowledge and apply rigorous methodology to original research. By cultivating a community of aspiring mathematicians and providing them with access to world-class training, we are advancing our shared vision of transforming Hong Kong into a global hub for innovation and technology.”
During the ceremony, a lively Panel Discussion was held on the theme of “Ubiquity of Mathematics: the Language of Discovery.” The discussion featured Professor Richard Schoen, 2017 Wolf Prize Laureate in Mathematics and Chair of the 2025 HLMA Scientific Committee, and Professor Ngaiming Mok, 2022 Future Science Prize Laureate, Chair of the HLMA Steering Committee and member of the Scientific Committee. Moderated by Ms. Jennifer Zhu Scott, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Power Dynamics, the distinguished speakers shared their insights on the evolving landscape of mathematics education and the essential skills required for the next generation to thrive in a technology-driven era.
The 2025 Hang Lung Mathematics Awards attracted the participation of close to 100 teams from over 50 secondary schools in Hong Kong. Under the guidance of a supervising teacher, each team decided on a mathematics topic, designed and conducted research, and compiled their findings into a research report. This impactful initiative is pivotal in the cultivation of future mathematical and scientific minds.
Appendix
Founded in 2004, the Hang Lung Mathematics Awards is a biennial competition that inspires secondary school students to formulate their own research journey and realize their creative potential in mathematics. Throughout its illustrious history, 2,800 students from over 200 schools have participated, submitting more than 500 research reports. Hang Lung donates HK$2.5 million for each competition—HK$1 million is allocated as prize money with the remainder supporting HKUST in providing vital initiatives including academic consultation, assessment, administration, and educational outreach activities. HKUST also offers scholarships for teachers nominated by the winning schools to further their studies through the Master of Science Program in Mathematics for Educators.
Over the past two decades, the HLMA has made a profound impact on cultivating young mathematical talent, with many past winners having gone on to graduate from top universities worldwide and now contributing significantly to society through work in academia and professional fields. HLMA plays an important role in recognizing and fostering a lasting love of mathematical inquiry that extends far beyond secondary school.
This year, the Hang Lung Mathematics Awards drew participation from nearly 100 teams across over 50 secondary schools in Hong Kong. A total of 15 teams were shortlisted for the Oral Defense stage, where a Scientific Committee comprising internationally renowned scholars and educators evaluated the research reports through a rigorous, multi-step review process. The teams were invited to present and defend their findings before the Scientific Committee in a formal setting, an experience that closely resembles the oral defense process required for a postgraduate degree.
For a detailed list of winners of the 2025 Hang Lung Mathematics Awards, please refer to the attachment.
Attachment
List of Winners of the 2025 Hang Lung Mathematics Awards
|
Award
|
Research Title
|
Team Member(s)
|
Teacher
|
School Name
|
|
|
Gold
|
Markov Chains Associated with Ultraspherical Polynomials:
an Analysis of Weak Convergence and First Passage Time Functionals |
Siu Man Li
|
Mr. On Ping Chung
|
Hong Kong Chinese Women’s Club College
|
|
|
Silver
|
Incentric Subdivisions of Triangles and Iterated Function Systems
|
Augus Kui Lam Huang
Inna Belle Lee
Chun Lam Lo Lok Hei Qiao Cheuk Lok Wong |
Mr. Pak Leong Cheung
|
St. Paul’s Co-educational College
|
|
|
Bronze
|
On the Generalisations of the No-Three-in-Line Problem
|
Edison Sze Ho Fu
Yun Tung Ko Hoi Chun Puk Wai Kwan Yeung |
Mr. Hang Chun Chan
|
Queen’s College
|
|
|
Honorable Mentions (listed by school name in alphabetical order)
|
|||||
|
Research Title
|
Team Member(s)
|
Teacher
|
School Name
|
||
|
On the Number of Multiplicative Type En Friezes
|
Lok Him Chan
David Kai Hei Gu Sui Ping Tang Ho Wong |
Mr. Yuk Lun Fong
|
HKUGA College
|
||
|
What Can You Split and Draw?
|
Triton Cheuk Lok Kho
Eron Ching Long Kwok Man Hei Tung |
Mr. Yuk Lun Fong
|
HKUGA College
|
||
|
The Mathematics of Riffle Shuffling from Single to Multi-Deck Card Games
|
Daniel Haifeng Wang
Justin Haisong Wang |
Ms. Alexandra Streeter
|
King George V School
|
||
|
On the Images of Rational Numbers under a Certain Type of Fractal Interpolation Function
|
Tsz Hei Chiu
Alex Sheung Fai Lam Hin Chun Lee Jamie Chun Hin Ng Ka Lam Tang |
Dr. Wai Shan Cheung
|
St. Joseph’s College
|
||
|
Producing Annoying Sounds with Chalk by Varying Angle of Contact
|
Joshua Cheung
Haoyang Dong Jizheng Li Ming Ze Li Maximilian Ng |
Mr. David Bian
|
Victoria Shanghai Academy
|
||
Hashtag: #HangLungProperties
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Hang Lung Properties
Hang Lung Properties Limited (SEHK stock code: 00101) creates compelling spaces that enrich lives. Headquartered in Hong Kong, Hang Lung Properties develops and manages a diversified portfolio of world-class properties in Hong Kong and the nine Mainland cities of Shanghai, Shenyang, Jinan, Wuxi, Tianjin, Dalian, Kunming, Wuhan and Hangzhou. With its luxury positioning under the “66” brand, the company’s Mainland portfolio has established its leading position as the “Pulse of the City”. Hang Lung Properties is also recognized for leading the way in enhancing sustainability initiatives in the real estate industry, all the while pursuing sustainable growth by connecting customers and communities.
At Hang Lung Properties – We Do It Well.
For more information, please visit 
www.hanglung.com.
About The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) (https://hkust.edu.hk/) is a world-class university known for its innovative education, research excellence, and impactful knowledge transfer. With a holistic and interdisciplinary pedagogy approach, HKUST was ranked 6th in the QS Asia University Rankings 2026, 3rd in the Times Higher Education’s Young University Rankings 2024, and 19th globally and 1st in Hong Kong in the Times Higher Education’s Impact Rankings 2025. Thirteen HKUST subjects were ranked among the world’s top 50 in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025, with “Data Science and Artificial Intelligence” coming in 17th worldwide and first in Hong Kong. Our graduates are highly competitive, consistently ranking among the world’s top 30 most sought-after employees. In terms of research and entrepreneurship, over 80% of our work was rated “internationally excellent” or “world leading” in the Research Assessment Exercise 2020 of the Hong Kong’s University Grants Committee. As of July 2025, HKUST members have founded over 1,900 active start-ups, including 10 Unicorns and 17 exits (IPO or M&A).
Media OutReach
Lever Style Announces Seventh Acquisition Since IPO, Continuing Group Expansion in the Global Apparel Supply Chain Sector
Active Apparel Group Strengthens Lever Style’s Activewear Capabilities
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 December 2025 – Lever Style Corporation (HKEX: 1346, “Lever Style”), has acquired designated assets from Active Apparel Group (“AAG”) through an asset purchase agreement. This marks Lever Style’s seventh acquisition since its initial public offering in 2019. This transaction strengthens Lever Style’s activewear expertise.
Active Apparel Group is a well-established apparel specialist with 38 years of experience serving premium global brands, and deep expertise across activewear, outerwear, and swimwear. AAG’s activewear segment is the fastest growing one in the apparel industry, and it complements Lever Style’s existing strength in the fashion segment. AAG’s product sophistication and customer tier are also on par with Lever Style’s premium positioning, enabling cross-selling opportunities in other product categories and enhancing operating leverage.
Lever Style already has a strong foundation in activewear and performance apparel, serving leading global brands such as Arc’teryx, Columbia Sportswear, Helly Hansen, Spanx, Skims, and J.Lindeberg. The Group also works with a broad portfolio of premium and contemporary brands including Alexander Wang, Theory, Todd Snyder, and others, as well as digitally native brands such as Bonobos and Ministry of Supply.
Active Apparel Group is a production partner for leading technical and lifestyle apparel brands, including Greyson, Johnnie-O, Sun Day Red, Boggi, and Bandit Running.
With the US market rocked by tariffs and Europe still mired in war, 2025 has become a challenging year for the apparel industry. Given the increasing risk of a tariff-induced US recession in 2026, the Group has put more focus on pursuing inorganic growth.
“Bad times are the best times to buy” said Stanley Szeto, Executive Chairman of Lever Style. “This acquisition strengthens our activewear expertise and enables us to deliver greater value to our clients across an even broader range of product categories.”
For more details, please visit: https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2025/1217/2025121701296.pdf
Hashtag: #LeverStyle
https://www.leverstyle.com/en/home/
www.leverstyle.com
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