Author: Hong Kong Wen Wei Po reporter Chen Jianxing

● Xiao Feng (left) recently accepted an exclusive interview with Chen Weiming, host of "Jing 'Wei' Lun". Photo by Hong Kong Wen Wei Po reporter Wan Shuangling

AI has a "two sides of the same coin" relationship with blockchain. With the rapid rise of AI Agent (agent artificial intelligence) OpenClaw, AI is capable of working autonomously for humans and replacing certain processes, but it also highlights the security issues of AI Agents. Granting them a digital identity through blockchain is one effective way to manage AI Agents. HashKey Chairman and CEO Xiao Feng stated in a recent exclusive interview with "Jing 'Wei' Lun" that he is not an expert in artificial intelligence technology, but from the perspective of blockchain and digital financial infrastructure, AI and cryptographic technology are gradually moving toward deep integration. With the rapid emergence of cutting-edge AI entities like OpenClaw, future AI Agents are likely to be more than just tools; they will need to possess independent "identity" and "native wallet accounts" as economic entities, and blockchain technology conveniently becomes the key tool for binding digital identities with AI Agents.

Regarding the identity system of AI entities, Xiao Feng believes that all AI Agents will have independent "identities" in the future. However, this "identity" will not follow the real-world identification systems but will be realized through blockchain-based addresses and soul-bound tokens (Soulbound Token) as a technically compatible solution. He pointed out that it is obviously impractical to allow artificial intelligence entities to use the human identification system from the real world and mentioned that the concept of "soul-bound tokens" was proposed by Ethereum's founder seven years ago as an extension of the emerging concept of "non-fungible tokens (NFTs)." Since every NFT is unique, through NFTs and blockchain technology, a digital identity can be bound to each AI agent.

"If AI Agents begin to operate independently of humans and create economic value, they will surely need an account. Currently, the only compatible form appears to be a digital wallet, rather than an account opened by a bank for that Agent," said Xiao Feng. He explained that during the era of large AI models, tokens purchased through traditional bank accounts can be used to call model services developed in China, but when entering a scenario of free payments between Agents, the traditional bank account system fails to support this due to fundamental issues such as limitations on the number of accounts that can be opened for multiple intelligent agents, unclear responsibilities, high payment costs, and low operational efficiency. It is reported that HashKey Group has joined the Agent Payment Protocol (AP2) technology alliance initiated by Google, exploring AI Agent payment systems together with institutions such as PayPal, Circle, and UnionPay International, as well as researching applications such as stablecoin payments, on-chain identity, and AI Agent on-chain settlement.

In the future, everyone may have 50 AI Agents

Xiao Feng pointed out that in recent years, during exchanges with experts and scholars in the field of artificial intelligence, there has been a general consensus that AI and cryptographic technology (blockchain/cryptocurrency) are two sides of the same coin, and the two will ultimately integrate deeply, empowering each other and complementing each other. He further cited the views of AI experts, indicating that in the future, everyone may possess up to 50 AI Agents. These agents will seamlessly penetrate various aspects of our lives, from daily chores to complex decision-making, significantly enhancing personal efficiency and quality of life.

Hong Kong has the potential to become the digital finance "Wall Street"

Faced with global competition under the AI boom, Xiao Feng believes that Hong Kong has a unique advantage of "being backed by the motherland," and as long as it is utilized well, it can occupy a central position in the global digital economy landscape. He pointed out that from the internet, blockchain to artificial intelligence, these three major fields are essentially dominated by the two powers of China and the United States. As part of China, Hong Kong can fully leverage the vast talent, asset, and technology resources from the mainland, which is a unique advantage that other regions in the world find difficult to replicate. With the positioning as a "super connector" and combining the institutional advantages of common law under "One Country, Two Systems," Hong Kong is fully capable of achieving the goal proposed by the SAR government to become a "global digital asset center," and even has the potential to promote the global financial landscape from the previous "Nürnberg-Hong Kong" pattern, gradually upgrading to "Nürnberg-Hong Kong", allowing Hong Kong's position in the global financial system to rise further.