Hong Kong officials exit Bitcoin Asia 2025 amid Eric Trump’s involvement, reflecting crypto ambitions challenged by rising geopolitical sensitivities.
Two prominent Hong Kong figures withdrew from the Bitcoin Asia 2025 conference. Eric Yip Chee-hang, executive director of the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), and legislator Johnny Ng Kit-chong, a technology entrepreneur, are no longer listed as speakers. The move is after the announcement that the event will be conducted by the son of U.S. President Donald Trump, Eric Trump, on August 28-29 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Political Sensitivities Cloud Bitcoin Asia 2025 as Officials Step Back
The conference, one of the biggest international conferences of cryptocurrency supporters, should emphasize the future of Bitcoin and the contribution of Asia to its use. Eric Trump will deliver his speeches on such issues as the long-term prospects of Bitcoin and its effects on the world’s finances. Organizers BTC Inc. confirmed his participation on July 8. In mid-August, however, both Yip and Ng were taken off the speaker list, which was reported by the South China Morning Post after visiting the site of the event.
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Sources with knowledge of the situation said that legislators were told not to show up at the function because of the attendance of Eric Trump. One source said there was a request to cancel the forum with Trump’s son. One source termed it as advice, but never explained to whom the advice was given. The action is associated with the fear of seeming to side with the Trump administration in the strained U.S.-China relations. The U.S. imposes trade tariffs of up to 145 percent on Hong Kong, which makes the city tricky.
Yip and Ng gave individual reasons as to why they withdrew. According to the SFC, Yip was not able to be present because he had a business trip. Ng mentioned family problems that did not conform to the schedule of the conference. At the same time, the speaker list still includes, meanwhile, SFC policy manager, Clarence Shen. This indicates that Hong Kong remains interested in the crypto industry, even though the withdrawals are being made.
Bitcoin Asia 2025 Highlights Tension Between Innovation and Diplomacy
Hong Kong is pushing to become Asia’s crypto hub. In June, the city issued Policy Statement 2.0 on the Development of Digital Assets because it intends to become a digital finance leader. The stablecoin ordinance came into force on August 1, and it promoted low-cost real-time transactions. But the withdrawals emphasize the balancing that the city is playing. Lau Siu-kai, a Beijing-based expert, said the move aims to avoid the appearance of working with the Trump administration. Further, he explained that the Trump team supports crypto policies. He also noted that the U.S. and China are facing trade tensions.
The role of Eric Trump in crypto is increasing. He is a co-founder of American Bitcoin, a mining company, and is engaged with World Liberty Financial. His talks, which he named All in on Bitcoin and Bitcoin Takes Over the World, are likely to attract interest. However, Hong Kong is quite cautious, which is indicative of greater geopolitical sensibilities.
To sum up, the fact that Yip and Ng were removed as the organizers of the Bitcoin Asia 2025 is an indication of the intricate nature of the intertwining of politics and finance. Even as Hong Kong pushes its crypto agenda, it walks the fine line over the tensions on the world stage. The summit will continue, yet the lack of major local representatives is an indication of difficulty in striking the right balance between innovation and diplomacy.
