Standard Chartered CEO: Cash Ends, Blockchain Takes Over

Standard Chartered CEO: Cash Is Ending, Blockchain Is the Future

Written by Aaron S.,

Editor-In-Chief

Last Updated: November 04, 2025

Key Takeaways

Standard Chartered’s CEO, Bill Winters, stated that all money will become digital and eventually be processed through blockchain networks;
Hong Kong was praised for encouraging financial innovation while keeping regulatory standards in place;
HSBC plans to deepen its presence in Hong Kong through major investments and education partnerships.

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At the 2025 Hong Kong FinTech Week, leaders from major banks and government officials discussed the direction of finance and how digital technologies are shaping the future.

Bill Winters, the head of Standard Chartered Group, stated that all financial transactions will eventually move to digital platforms, specifically blockchain networks.

He described this change as a full transformation of today’s financial infrastructure. However, he pointed out that although the destination is clear, the exact path is still uncertain.

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Winters also noted that Hong Kong supports financial experiments without relaxing compliance standards. He said:

Hong Kong has already established that leading role. I have every reason to believe it will continue to play that role.

Additionally, HSBC Group CEO Georges Elhedery discussed the company’s commitment to the region. He referred to a proposal to invest over $13 billion to take Hang Seng Bank private.

Elhedery also shared that HSBC is working to support talent development in the region. One example was a partnership with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology to support education and research that can drive growth in finance and technology.

Paul Chan Mo-po, Hong Kong’s financial secretary, took part in the discussion as well. He emphasized the city’s role as a gateway to mainland China and as a global finance center. When asked if Hong Kong could surpass Switzerland in cross-border wealth management, Chan said the foundation is already in place.

Meanwhile, Brian Armstrong, the CEO of Coinbase $3.26B , has shared a plan to shift the entire startup-building process onto the blockchain. How? Read the full story.