Nium joins HKSTP to accelerate Hong Kong’s FinTech ecosystem

By Leandra Monteiro

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) announced the addition of a global FinTech unicorn, Nium, as a partner company to HKSTP’s thriving Fintech ecosystem. Nium is opening its new office at InnoCentre to leverage Hong Kong’s growing FinTech opportunities as well as the huge GBA market potential for seamless application programming interface (API)-based payments services. The high-growth FinTech start-up connects consumers, corporations and financial institutions to the world’s payment infrastructure through a single API for fast, low-cost international transfers.

Nium has been present in Hong Kong since 2016 and the growing team will join other fast-rising FinTech ventures at Science Park’s flagship FinTech hub at InnoCentre in Kowloon Tong. The Temasek-backed FinTech startup closed its Series D funding round in July of this year, propelling its valuation beyond US$1 billion. The round enables Nium to accelerate its regional growth, with HKSTP chosen as the ideal partner for this next stage of the journey. The new funds will support rapid global expansion, with Hong Kong and the GBA as major growth opportunities. It currently holds several regulatory licenses and offices around the world, including in Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Malaysia, India, the US, and the UK.

HKSTP has already connected Nium with several Fintech API players in Hong Kong to accelerate service development and business growth. Through collaboration with industry leaders and tech startups at InnoCentre, Nium can instantly plug into the Hong Kong’s thriving FinTech ecosystem and ride the wave of API-based financial services sweeping across Hong Kong and the GBA.

Albert Wong, CEO, HKSTP said, “Today we welcome Nium, the world’s first global B2B payments unicorn from Southeast Asia to the HKSTP ecosystem. The addition of such a world-class leader is a sign of strength for Hong Kong’s thriving Fintech scene, and proof of the city’s allure as a global Fintech hub. Growing adoption of API-driven solutions among Hong Kong’s financial institutions are fueling rapid development of Fintech startups, like Nium, and igniting growth for next-generation financial technologies into the GBA and beyond.”

Ivy Lun, Head of North Asia, Nium said, “Our new Hong Kong operation is a major step in our North Asia growth journey, with HKSTP’s extensive Fintech expertise and unmatched network, we aim to become one of the key players in the Hong Kong Fintech ecosystem. Our mission is to provide individuals and businesses with one connection to the world of payments. We want to give them access to money with simplicity and speed, with Hong Kong as the ideal gateway to the huge market opportunity in the GBA and North Asia.”

Nium will leverage Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre, a regulatory leader, a transportation and trade centre, and a world-class international I&T hub to power its regional expansion plans. The HKSTP Fintech ecosystem can fuel Nium’s growth journey by providing the ideal environment for API innovation, connections to deep Regtech and Fintech expertise, as well as integration to the GBA.