Cryptocurrency, Stablecoins and RWA:
Web3 Executive Development Programme: Strategic Reboot from First Principles

Programme Duration 3 Days
Location Hong Kong
Target Participants Senior executives, policymakers, legal and compliance officers, fintech investors, digital asset professionals

Programme Rationale

In the midst of global fintech transformation, Web3 and tokenized finance have become strategic pillars for the future of Hong Kong’s financial markets. From regulatory bodies and policymakers to pioneering enterprises, the city is aligning behind a shared ambition: to build a globally competitive digital asset ecosystem grounded in robust legal infrastructure, stablecoin innovation, and real-world asset (RWA) tokenization.

Yet, as HKMA Chief Executive Eddie Yue has cautioned, the current discourse on Web3 is often fragmented and hype-driven, lacking clarity in conceptual foundations and policy frameworks. To address this, City University of Hong Kong, as a world-class research institution, together with Laboratory for AI-Powered Financial Technologies (AIFT), launches this executive programme to help senior professionals, investors, and public-sector leaders reconnect with the first principles of finance, technology, and governance in the Web3 era.

This 3-day programme brings together leading scholars and practitioners across finance, law, technology, and regulation. Through a mix of immersive lectures, site visits, simulations, and peer dialogue, participants will develop a multidimensional understanding of Web3 finance—bridging economic theory, technical architecture, legal enforceability, and regulatory logic.

Day 1: Paradigm Shifts in Financial History and the Hong Kong Opportunity

Opening Remark
Speaker CityUHK or CB management
Time 09:00–9:15
Morning Session
Speakers Prof. Houmin Yan, Prof. Wayne Yu, Mr. Xiaoyong Liu
Time 09:15–12:30

This session begins with a keynote by Prof. Houmin Yan, framing the importance of “returning to first principles” as the foundation for serious engagement with Web3.

Prof. Wayne Yu then traces the evolution of money and finance, from ancient commodities and central banks to smart contracts and tokenized assets—setting the stage for a historical and technological rethinking of monetary institutions.

Mr. Xiaoyong Liu concludes with an insider’s view of Hong Kong’s digital asset policy, exploring the strategic logic behind VATP licenses, stablecoin regulation, and RWA pilots, positioning Hong Kong in the global Web3 race.

Afternoon Session
Speaker Prof. Xiaofan Liu
Time 14:00–17:20

This double-session led by Prof. Xiaofan Liu dives into the intellectual foundations and contested narratives of Web3.

The first lecture examines the ideological roots of decentralization, tracing Web3’s origins through the lenses of crypto-anarchism, internet governance, and digital sovereignty.

The second lecture critiques the narrative fragmentation in “Web3 finance”—highlighting conflicts between cyberlibertarianism, techno-solutionism, and regulatory convergence—and proposes a framework for redefining the field with conceptual clarity and institutional relevance.

Evening Session
Time 18:30–21:30

Dinner Dialogue with CityUHK/CB management and professors

An informal but intellectually rich evening event designed to promote candid exchange among faculty and participants over dinner.

Day 2: Technical Foundations and Legal Pathways in Web3 Finance

Morning Session
Speaker Prof. Guangwu Liu
Time 09:00–12:20

This session focuses on the technical design of Web3 financial models and their intersection with real-world regulation.

In the first lecture, Prof. Liu presents a structured overview of Web3 protocols, smart contract logic, and on-chain financial architecture—framing the design principles behind composability, incentives, and capital efficiency.

The second lecture explores the regulatory tensions between DeFi and TradFi, addressing the challenges of technology neutrality, enforcement asymmetry, and systemic risk. Prof. Liu introduces the concept of “regulatory justice” as a normative framework for future policy.

Afternoon Session
Speakers Ms. Wang Lele, Mr. Jicheng Xing
Time 14:00–17:20

The first lecture, led by Ms. Wang Lele, who has over seven years of experience in the cryptocurrency industry. She will delve into the in-depth global regulations governing Web3-related businesses, as well as the prospects and frustrations experienced by local practitioners.

The second lecture, led by quant strategist Mr. Jicheng Xing, transitions into on-chain strategy modeling. He introduces quantitative frameworks for signal design, portfolio construction, and execution in DeFi markets—equipping participants with data-driven tools for real-world application.

Day 3: Frontiers & Foresight

Morning Session: AI-Native Web3
Speaker Prof. Guangwu Liu
Time 09:00–12:20

Learning to Trade: AI for AMMs and Reinforcement Learning in DeFi

Introduces the use of RL in optimizing liquidity, pricing, and execution in decentralized markets. Includes demonstration.

Afternoon Session: Strategy Lab & Policy Simulation
Speakers Prof. Xiaofan Liu & Ms. Wang Lele
Time 14:00–17:20

Capstone Innovation Lab:
Regulatory Sandbox Research & Strategic Pitch
Participants form teams, select a use case (e.g., stablecoin, tokenized IP), and conduct a comparative sandbox study (HK, UAE, Singapore, UK, etc.). They deliver a policy-compliant go-to-market plan.

Simulation Exercise:
Crypto Sandbox Review Board
Role-play where teams pitch their Web3 initiative to a simulated regulator board. Board members (played by peers or faculty) approve/deny based on legal fit, risk, and innovation level.

Wrap-up & Certification Ceremony
College of Business, City University of Hong Kong
Laboratory for AI-Powered Financial Technologies (AIFT)

Speakers

Prof. Houmin Yan

Professor Houmin Yan is Chair Professor of Management Sciences, and director of MSc in Accounting and Finance with AI and Fintech Applications, City University of Hong Kong and Beijing National Accounting Institute. He is also the Director, Hong Kong Laboratory of AI-Powered Financial Technologies, Ltd. He was Dean of the College of Business at the City University of Hong Kong from Jan. 2013 to June 2020 (Acting Dean June 2019-June 2020) . Prior to joining CityU he served as Professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and as Associate Director and Science Advisor for the Hong Kong R&D Center for Logistics and Supply Chain Management Enabling Technologies. He has also worked as a tenured Associate Professor at the School of Management, University of Texas at Dallas.

Professor Yan's main research areas are stochastic models, machine learning and algorithms, risk modeling and analysis, and supply chain management. He has published in journals such as Operations Research, Manufacturing and Service Operations Management, IIE Transactions, Production and Operations Management, Journal of Optimization: Theory and Applications, and IEEE Transactions. Professor Yan's work has won widespread recognition. In a commissioned citation study by Journal of Operations Management on the knowledge evolution in Operations Management over last thirty years, his research work in supply chain coordination has been recognized as part of general knowledge structure for Operations Management of 2000s. In 2004, his paper (co-authored with Gan and Sethi) "Coordination of Supply Chains with Risk-Averse Agents" (POM, Vol. 13, 2004, 135 -149) received the Wickham-Skinner Best paper Award from the 2nd World Conference on Production and Operations Management and the Society of Production and Operations Management (POMs). In 2005, his paper (co-authored with Lee and Tan) "Designing An Assembly Process with Stochastic Material Arrivals" (IIE Transactions, Vol. 35, 2003, 803-815) has been awarded the Best Paper Award for "the focus issues on Operations Engineering for 2003-2004" from the Institute of Industrial Engineers(IIE). In 2012, his paper (co-authored with Buzacott and Zhang) "Risk Analysis of Commitment-Option Contracts with Forecast Updates" (IIE Transactions, Vol. 43, 2011, 415-431) has been awarded the Best Paper Prize in Scheduling and Logistics from the Institute of Industrial Engineers(IIE).

He received his BSc. and MSc. from Tsinghua University, both in electrical engineering, and his Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in business. He is a member of Business Studies, Research Grant Council (RGC), a member of Hongkong Academy of Finance, a member of EQUIS Committee, EFMD, and a member of CIR Committee, AACSB.