Our R&D Funding Scheme aims to provide funding for scholars in HKU to conduct research and development (R&D) on FinTech related work. These projects highlight a wider range of areas of expertise than that would be found in any other HK universities.

2021 Research Projects

This year, the Academy has funded 14 FinTech projects with a total of HK$4M, covering a wide range of topics such as digital finance, non-fungible tokens, digital footprints, financial inclusion and sustainable development.

A Deep Learning Model for Stock Return Prediction Using Social Media Data

PI: Dr. Michael Chau, HKU
Co-I: Dr. Wenwen Li, Fudan University

Assessment of SME Credit Risk using Advanced Machine Learning and Big Data Methods

PI: Prof. Chen Lin, HKU
Co-Is: Dr. Luo Ye, HKU & Dr. Mingzhu Tai, HKU

Computational model to enhance the admissibility of Bitcoin tracing heuristics at the Court of Law

PI: Prof. K.P. Chow, HKU

Crypto-token incentive mechanism to construct ESG Index

PI: Prof. George Q Huang, HKU
Co-I: Dr. Yelin Fu, HKU

Cryptocurrency with Enhanced Security: Post-Quantum and Threshold Cryptography

PI: Dr. Allen M.H. Au, HKU

Data-Driven Labor Market Analysis, Modeling and Prediction

PI: Dr. Jia Pan, HKU
Co-I: Dr. Wenfeng Wang, City University of Hong Kong

Digital Finance and the Changing Patterns of Crime

PI: Dr. Zhuang Liu, HKU
Co-I: Prof. Yan Shen, Peking University

Fake News Detection in Financial Markets: Methodology and Capital Market Implications

PI: Dr. Peeyush Taori, HKU

Investor Sentiment and Cryptocurrency Return

PI: Dr. Fangzhou Lu, HKU

New Systems and Algorithms for Realizing Efficient, Scalable, and General Permissioned Blockchains 

PI: Dr. Heming Cui, HKU

Personal genetic data as non-fungible tokens on layer-2 Ethereum to enable self-governance and incentivized exchange

PI: Dr. Ruibang Luo, HKU
Co-I: Prof. T.W. Lam, HKU

SocioLink: Leveraging Knowledge Graph for Startup Recommendations in Venture Capital

PI: Dr. Hailiang Chen, HKU
Co-I: Prof. Jianliang Leon Zhao, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen

The Economic Applications of Firm-Specific Digital Footprints

PI: Dr. Alan Kwan, HKU
Co-Is: Prof. Andrew Karolyi, Cornell University, Dr. Ben Matties, Notre Dame College, Dr. Yukun Liu, University of Rochester & Dr. Gaurav Kankanhalli, University of Pittsburgh

The Role of International Human Rights Law at the Intersection of FinTech, Financial Inclusion, and Sustainable Development

PI: Prof. Douglas Arner, HKU
Co-I: Dr. Kuzi Charamba, HKU

2020 Research Projects

In 2020-2021, the Academy has funded four exciting projects in FinTech with a total of HK$3.3M in the first year. These projects highlight a wider range of areas of expertise than that would be found in any other HK universities, and also addressing timely issues like financial fluctuations due to COVID-19 and next-generation digital currency.

Digital Finance, Financial Inclusion and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

PI: Prof. Douglas Arner, HKU
Co-Is: Dr. Giulian Castellan, HKU
Prof. Ross P. Buckley, UNSW, Australia
Prof. Dirk A. Zetzsche, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg

HKU Coin: Towards Decentralized Privacy-Preserving Cryptocurrency with Accountability

PI: Dr. Allen Au, HKU 

Financial Volatility and Digital Finance

PI: Prof. Chen Lin, HKU

A visualization assisted abnormal trading detection system for multi-crypto currencies

PI: Prof. SM Yiu, HKU
Co-I: Prof. TW Lam, HKU

HKU FinTech Index Project