HKU Law, AIIFL, and UNCITRAL convened global experts in Hong Kong for the 8th Conference on International Coordination of Secured Transactions Reform (27-28 November 2025)

Hong Kong, 27-28 November 2025 – The Faculty of Law of the University of Hong Kong (HKU Law) and its Asian Institute of International Financial Law (AIIFL) co‑organised with the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) the 8th Conference on International Coordination of Secured Transactions Reform on 27–28 November 2025. ​The Conference, held at HKU Law, was led by UNCITRAL in its capacity as 2025 Chair of the Joint Network for Coordinating and Supporting Secured Transactions Reforms, with the support of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT), the World Bank Group, and the International Law Institute (ILI).

Additional information about UNCITRAL activities and the Joint Network is available on UNCITRAL’s website: https://uncitral.un.org/en/content/joint-network-coordinating-and-supporting-secured-transactions-reforms

Presentations, video recordings, and details about the Conference can be found at https://aiifl-event.law.hku.hk/8th-conference-secured-transactions-reforms.

Press Release: https://www.hku.hk/press/news_detail_28820.html 

New Book from AIIFL Fellow

Rethinking the Regulation of Cryptoassets: Cryptographic Consensus Technology and the New Prospect

Syren Johnstone, Executive Director of the Master of Laws in Compliance and Regulation Programme, Faculty of Law, The University of Hong Kong

This thought-provoking book challenges the way we think about regulating cryptoassets. Bringing a timely new perspective, Syren Johnstone critiques the application of a financial regulation narrative to cryptoassets, questioning the assumptions on which it is based and whether regulations developed in the 20th century remain fit to apply to a technology emerging in the 21st.

More information about the book is available HERE.

Hear the Podcast.

Institute of International Finance Podcast with Brad Carr

FRT Episode 98: The Platformization of Finance, with Prof Douglas Arner

Brad Carr’s episode introduction:

“Prof. Doug Arner of Hong Kong University takes us through the experiences with China’s FinTech platforms, including the rise of Ant Financial and subsequent regulatory responses. He emphasizes the key role that data had played throughout this journey, and we discuss the innovative approaches that have been deployed to encourage funding for SMEs.”  Read more

Barefoot Innovation Group Podcast

Around the world: HKU’s Douglas Arner

Jo Ann Barefoot’s episode introduction excerpt:

“Maybe best of all, Doug shares his insights on China. He describes the Chinese government’s formula for launching experimentation, in which they watch digitized activities evolve in an unregulated environment, and then step in to regulate based on what emerges. He shares insights on when this experimentation has worked, and when it has failed, citing both P2P lending and the growth of the enormous Chinese payments platforms as examples. On the payment platforms, he cites particular success in lending to small enterprises, which as he says, is a grand challenge for every country. At the same time, he talks about the platforms raising huge risks of market concentration. He talks about emerging thinking that perhaps data should be treated as a public good.”

OMFIF Podcast

Fintech, payments, and CBDC in China – Part 1

Bhavin Patel, head of fintech at OMFIF, speaks with Douglas Arner, Kerry Holdings Professor in Law and director of the Asian Institute of International Law at the University of Hong Kong, and Charles Chang, deputy dean of academics, professor of finance and director of the fintech research centre at Fanhai International School of Finance, Fudan University.

In this two-part series they discuss the Chinese fintech space, focussing on payments, regulations and the Chinese central bank digital currency project. In this first part they discuss China’s fintech growth, how it became a global leader, the country’s approach to fintech regulation and newer entrants, and the likely effectiveness of the DC/EP in a private sector dominated market.

OMFIF Podcast

Fintech, payments, and CBDC in China – Part 2

Bhavin Patel, head of fintech at OMFIF, speaks with Douglas Arner, Kerry Holdings Professor in Law and director of the Asian Institute of International Law at the University of Hong Kong, and Charles Chang, deputy dean of academics, professor of finance and director of the fintech research centre at Fanhai International School of Finance, Fudan University.

In this two-part series they discuss the Chinese fintech space, focusing on payments, regulations and the Chinese central bank digital currency project. In the second part of their discussions, they discuss China’s digital currency/electronic payment. They look at how effective it may be, how it will integrate with a market dominated by the private sector, its possible disintermediation impact on incumbents, as well as how it can become a cross-border central bank digital currency.