HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 27 August 2026 - HKT (SEHK: 6823) - HKT Payment Limited^[1], HKT's financial services arm, has been selected by Hong Kong's financial regulators to participate in the Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenA.I.) Sandbox++ initiative and conduct a pilot trial on registration and verification for AI agent-initiated payment flows, helping to advance responsible innovation in Hong Kong's financial sector.

As AI agents rapidly gain traction in financial services, they are becoming capable of initiating payments, wallet top-ups, peer-to-peer transfers, and cross-institution transactions on behalf of users. Yet, current Know Your Customer (KYC) and Know Your Business (KYB) frameworks were not designed to address the verification of AI agents or determine who is ultimately responsible for their actions.

In collaboration with Red Date Technology, a provider of decentralised technology and digital infrastructure, HKT will develop an "Agentic ID" framework built on Decentralised Identifiers (DIDs) and Verifiable Credentials (VCs). Under this framework, each AI agent will be bound to a verified individual or enterprise principal, providing a more secured and standardised way to register and verify AI agents acting on behalf of individuals and enterprises.

Designed to strengthen security and governance, the "Agentic ID" framework aims to enhance identity verification, help mitigate the risk of impersonation or unauthorised actions, and establish a clearer audit trail for AI-driven transactions. It also leverages the zero-knowledge proof technology, which enables data to be verified and used without being revealed, giving users full ownership and control over their private information.

Monita Leung, CEO, Digital Ventures, HKT, said, "As the adoption of AI agents in payments and financial services is accelerating, robust safeguards are critical to maintaining trust, security and accountability. Through participating in the GenA.I. Sandbox++ initiative, we are committed to supporting the development of practical solutions for the responsible use of AI in digital finance. We believe this project will contribute to Hong Kong's vision in establishing a resilient and future-ready fintech hub, as well as advancing the broader 'AI+' initiative."

Launched by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Securities and Futures Commission, the Insurance Authority and the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority in collaboration with Cyberport, the Gen A.I. Sandbox++ initiative promotes cross-sector collaboration and the responsible adoption of AI across Hong Kong's financial ecosystem.