Fintech adoption triples and AI usage hits 79%, as Hong Kong trading companies move beyond adoption to transform cross-border trade
20 August 2026 — Airwallex, a leading global financial platform for modern businesses, today released its annual trade report The future of Hong Kong trade: From adopting to advancing in partnership with hktdc.com sourcing of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), which revealed that AI and fintech are now forming the operational backbone of modern trade in Hong Kong, as businesses grow to be more agile, digital and responsive.
The findings, based on a survey of 462 cross-border businesses conducted between March and April 2026, come as businesses face mounting pressure from rising operating costs, economic uncertainty and increasingly complex global trade dynamics. In response, trading companies are no longer simply digitising existing processes — they are redesigning how they operate, embedding AI, fintech and data-driven solutions at the core of cross-border trade.
AI and data move into the operational core of trade
The report shows that the role of technology is fundamentally changing — from supporting function to operational backbone.
AI adoption among cross-border businesses has surged from 25% to 79% in just 12 months, signalling a rapid shift from experimentation to everyday use. More than two-thirds (67%) of respondents plan to further increase use of AI, as it is embedded across key functions, including finance, operations and sourcing.
The momentum behind AI adoption continues to build, with only 1% of respondents expecting to reduce their use of AI over the next 12 months. As new applications become more accessible and business use cases continue to expand, AI is increasingly being viewed as a long-term strategic capability rather than a short-term innovation.
More broadly, over 68% of respondents are investing in technology-enabled, data-driven solutions to improve efficiency, strengthen decision-making and remain competitive in an increasingly complex trading environment.
Hong Kong trade becomes more agile, digital and responsive
Trade is increasingly defined by flexibility, speed and control. The share of trading companies adopting an only-as-needed sourcing strategy has nearly doubled from 15% to 29%, reflecting a shift towards more responsive decision-making. At the same time, nearly 80% of respondents expect to increase their use of online sourcing channels over the next 12 months, with hybrid models emerging, as businesses combine digital efficiency with the trust of in-person engagement.
As global conditions remain volatile, these shifts are helping businesses respond faster to changing demand, manage risk more effectively and protect margins.
Fintech as essential infrastructure for global trade
As trade becomes more interconnected, financial infrastructure is emerging as a critical enabler of performance.
Adoption of fintech solutions for cross-border transactions has roughly tripled over the past 12 months, with around 60% of trading companies now using digital financial services. Businesses are turning to fintech to reduce costs (59%), accelerate payments (48%) and gain greater visibility (36%) over global financial operations.
This shift reflects a clear trend: Fintech is no longer an alternative, but an essential part of how modern cross-border trade is conducted.
Trust and security define the next phase of digital trade
As adoption accelerates, trust is becoming the key factor shaping the next wave of growth.
Nearly two-thirds (63%) of respondents cite fraud and security as their biggest concern when using fintech, while 42% highlight regulatory compliance. As a result, businesses are placing greater emphasis on partners that can deliver secure, transparent and compliant financial infrastructure.
Jewellery sector emerges as major untapped tech opportunity
While technology adoption varies across industries, the report reveals significant digital momentum within traditional sectors. Despite historically lower adoption rates, the jewellery sector leads all surveyed industries in future intent, with 37% of jewellery trading companies actively evaluating fintech solutions.
This high interest comes despite complex, fragmented supply chains and relationship-driven business models that make digital transformation uniquely challenging. While barriers, like provider reliability and regulatory compliance, remain top of mind, this strong intent signals a massive, untapped market for digital financial services and technology providers, as tailored solutions emerge.
Smilely Lam, Associate Executive Director of HKTDC, said, “The HKTDC has long been committed to supporting the development of SMEs, promoting digital transformation and enhancing business competitiveness. This report highlights a clear inflection point in this transformation. Technology has evolved from a supporting role into a core enabler of competitiveness, risk management and long-term growth. Nearly 80% of surveyed cross-border traders have already adopted AI in some form, underscoring the pace at which innovation is being embedded into trade practices. More broadly, businesses are moving beyond basic digitisation to redesign their sourcing strategies, operating models and engagement with global markets.”
Arnold Chan, APAC General Manager, Airwallex, said, “Hong Kong trading companies are moving beyond adopting new technology to transforming how they operate. AI and fintech are becoming the infrastructure behind modern trade, helping businesses move money faster, improve visibility into cash flow and respond more quickly to changing market conditions. Fast, integrated, and intelligent financial systems are no longer a competitive advantage, but a requirement. Against this backdrop, Airwallex as an AI-native financial platform helps businesses build more integrated, secure and scalable operations to compete in this new era of global trade.”
As Hong Kong’s trading sector evolves, the focus is shifting from adopting new tools to building more agile, digitally enabled operating models. Businesses that can integrate technology effectively — while maintaining visibility, control and resilience across their global operations — will be best positioned to navigate uncertainty and lead the next phase of cross-border trade.
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Read the full report here: The AI-driven future of Hong Kong trade in the 3x year | Airwallex
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About Airwallex
Airwallex is an AI native financial operating system for modern businesses. We are building the future of global banking for a borderless, real-time, intelligent economy.
We serve more than 676,000 businesses worldwide, either directly or through our platform customers. From startups to public enterprises, our customers use Airwallex to manage their global banking and financial operations, or to build and monetise their own financial products.
Founded in Melbourne in 2015, Airwallex holds 85+ licenses across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, forming one of the most comprehensive financial infrastructures in the world. This regulated backbone powers Airwallex products at global scale, including payment acceptance, billing, global accounts, corporate cards, and spend management.
The company is co-headquartered in San Francisco and Singapore with over 2,300 employees across 27 offices. Learn more at www.airwallex.com.
About HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. The HKTDC is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With over 50 offices globally, including 13 in the Chinese Mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.