HSBC recognised for blockchain at Hong Kong Business Technology Excellence Awards 2026

The company introduced instant transfers and Laisee gifting for a tokenised investment backed by physical gold bars.

HSBC received the Blockchain - Financial Services category at the Hong Kong Business Technology Excellence Awards 2026 for its Gold Token Gift Transfers and Laisee project. The initiative expanded the use of HSBC Gold Tokens by allowing retail customers in Hong Kong to transfer them to other HSBC customers through the bank’s mobile application.

Before the enhancement, HSBC customers could trade Gold Tokens only with the bank. Each token represented ownership of physical gold held in HSBC vaults, whilst transaction records were maintained on a distributed ledger. The transfer function added person-to-person transactions to the existing buying and selling features.

Through the HSBC mobile banking application, customers could send Gold Tokens using a recipient’s mobile number. This removed the need for customers to enter additional account information and gave them another way to transfer the investment to family members or friends. Recipients could then claim the transferred tokens through their HSBC accounts.

For Lunar New Year, HSBC also incorporated Gold Tokens into its digital Laisee service. Customers could choose between sending money through the Faster Payment System or sending Gold Tokens. The feature applied an established gifting practice to a tokenised investment product and extended its use beyond direct investment transactions.

With the addition of transfers, HSBC aimed to increase customer activity across buying, selling, and sending Gold Tokens. The bank also expected the feature to support product adoption and attract new customers.

Customers referred to the ease of completing and claiming Gold Token transfers. One customer reported that the transfer worked without difficulty, whilst another said claiming a Gold Token Laisee received from family was straightforward. The responses supported the project’s focus on making tokenised gold available through functions already used in mobile banking.

The Hong Kong Business Technology Excellence Awards is Hong Kong's most prestigious platform honouring groundbreaking achievements in technology. This esteemed awards programme recognises companies and organisations that are driving innovation, transforming industries, and setting new benchmarks for excellence in Hong Kong’s dynamic tech landscape.

The Hong Kong Business Technology Excellence Awards is presented by Hong Kong Business Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2027 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's outstanding contributions in pursuit of technological innovation, please contact Julie Anne Nuñez-Difuntorum at +(65) 3158 1386 or [email protected].