HashKey Exchange and IoTeX Forge Strategic Collaboration to Advance Regulated Digital Asset Infrastructure and AI in Hong Kong

IoTeX has entered a new strategic collaboration with HashKey Exchange, Hong Kong's first licensed virtual asset exchange regulated by the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), to build the foundational infrastructure for compliant digital assets and real-world AI systems in the Hong Kong market. This will include the launch of a jointly operated AI Ecosystem Center to accelerate innovation at the intersection of blockchain, machine infrastructure, and AI.

This partnership brings together two organizations with a shared belief: the next wave of innovation will be rooted in trust, powered by data, and activated through intelligent systems that bridge the physical and digital worlds.

With HashKey Exchange’s regulatory leadership and institutional-grade trading platform, and IoTeX’s deep expertise in machine coordination, identity, and verifiable data, the collaboration aims to unlock new models of value creation across finance, AI, and decentralized infrastructure.

This announcement also follows the recent listing of the IOTX token on HashKey Exchange, including a fiat trading pair with the Hong Kong Dollar (HKD), one of the first of its kind under Hong Kong’s regulated digital asset framework.

What We're Building Together

Together we are laying the groundwork for a future where trusted real-world activity is natively integrated into on-chain systems, and where Hong Kong plays a central role on the global stage.

The collaboration will be structured around five core initiatives, aligning IoTeX’s technical infrastructure with HashKey Exchange’s regulatory and market expertise:

1. Digital Asset Infrastructure

IoTeX and HashKey Exchange will co-develop secure and scalable digital asset infrastructure designed to support asset issuance, tokenization, and compliant circulation across both institutional stakeholders and emerging machine-driven economies. Emphasis will be placed on transparency, verifiability, and enterprise-grade performance.

2. AI Ecosystem Center

A jointly operated AI Ecosystem Center will serve as a launchpad for real-world AI systems and intelligent machine infrastructure. The Center will focus on applied innovation at the edge, enabling use cases that combine verifiable data, automation, and decentralized coordination. It will act as a home base for enterprises, developers, regulatory bodies, and public sector actors seeking to explore and deploy Physical AI solutions.

3. Listing of IOTX/HKD Trading Pair Listing

HashKey Exchange's listing of the IOTX/HKD trading pair enables direct, regulated access between the IoTeX ecosystem and the Hong Kong Dollar. This unlocks new avenues for real-world value exchange and strengthens the economic rails between traditional currency and trusted on-chain machine activity.

4. Layer 1 Blockchain and AI Infrastructure

IoTeX will provide core blockchain infrastructure to support collaboration efforts, including:

• secure identity verification (via ioID, the decentralized identity layer for machines and agents)
• access to verifiable off-chain data (via Quicksilver, the AI interaction layer for interpreting verifiable physical data)
• programmable machine environments (via Realms, evolving knowledge bases for Quicksilver to consume)
• Asset tokenization frameworks, enabling automated value creation based on real-world events and device activity

These components will power the AI and asset infrastructure jointly deployed with HashKey Exchange.

Compliance, Custody, and Enterprise Services

HashKey Exchange will contribute expertise across compliance, asset custody, auditing, and institutional onboarding. These services will ensure that all joint initiatives operate under clear regulatory guidance and transparent operational practices. The collaboration also opens pathways to engage other businesses within the broader HashKey Group ecosystem.

Raullen Chai, Co-Founder of IoTeX, commented:“In the era of rapid Web3 and AI convergence, digital assets represent a new engine of economic momentum, while AI is the driver of innovation and efficiency. By partnering with HashKey Exchange, we aim to deliver a real-world, compliant infrastructure for the intelligent economy—accelerating the fusion of AI and blockchain across Hong Kong and beyond.”

Michel Chan, Head of HashKey Exchange, added:“We are thrilled to partner with IoTeX, a pioneering blockchain platform with deep technical expertise. Together, we will co-develop critical infrastructure for digital assets and AI, supporting Hong Kong’s emergence as a global hub for smart digital innovation.”

A Vision for the Next Era of Regulated AI and Crypto Infra

This partnership reflects the growing demand for real-world blockchain utility and trusted AI infrastructure. As regulators, enterprises, and developers seek viable solutions at the intersection of physical systems and digital coordination, the need for compliant, scalable, and verifiable infrastructure has never been clearer.

By combining IoTeX’s capabilities in decentralized physical infrastructure with HashKey’s leadership in regulated finance, this collaboration will:

• Strengthen the integration between traditional financial systems and decentralized infrastructure
• Support compliant and secure circulation of digital assets tied to real-world data
• Accelerate the adoption of trusted AI systems built on blockchain infrastructure
• Position Hong Kong as a global hub for Physical AI and machine economy innovation

This launch also coincides with the enactment of Hong Kong’s Stablecoin Bill, which introduces a comprehensive legal foundation for compliant stablecoin issuance and tokenized infrastructure. Notably, IoTeX is entering the Hong Kong market as the region establishes itself as a global center for regulated crypto innovation.

Read more about the importance of real-world crypto legislation.

The roadmap ahead is grounded in real execution. Together, IoTeX and HashKey Exchange are committed to delivering infrastructure, tools, and opportunities that support a new era of intelligent, verifiable, and decentralized systems.

About IoTeX

Founded in 2017, IoTeX is a pioneering Layer 1 blockchain platform building an open ecosystem for Physical Intelligence, a new frontier that transforms real-world machine data into collective intelligence. The network provides cutting-edge infrastructure that bridges the physical and digital worlds, enabling developers to create decentralized machine networks powered by verifiable data, decentralized identity (DID), zero-knowledge proofs, and programmable smart contracts. Today, the IoTeX ecosystem includes over 100 DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network) projects across mobility, energy, healthcare, robotics, and more—laying the foundation for next-generation AI that can perceive, understand, and act autonomously in the physical world.

Website | Twitter | Developer Twitter | Developer Portal | Reddit | Discord | YouTube | DePINScan

About HashKey Exchange

HashKey Exchange is Hong Kong’s leading licensed digital asset trading platform, providing secure, regulated, and comprehensive crypto services for both institutional and retail investors. As the flagship exchange of HashKey Group, HashKey Exchange embodies the Group’s strategic focus on compliant Web3 infrastructure.

Since 2018, HashKey Group has built a global Web3 ecosystem with operations across Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, and Bermuda—positioning itself as a leading force in Asia’s digital asset landscape.