Because the co-founder and common accomplice at early stage enterprise capital fund Race Capital, Edith Yeung has had a front-row seat on the event of the crypto sector, notably in Hong Kong, the place she was born and raised. Most notably, she was a seed investor in Solana, investing $250,000 when SOL was valued at simply $0.04, and in addition was an early investor in Lightning Community. Since 2017, Yeung has additionally authored the China Web report, an influential annual survey of expertise developments in China.
Right here, Yeung, who might be a speaker at Consensus Hong Kong, discusses Hong Kong’s ongoing improvement as a crypto hub, her tackle China’s stance in the direction of crypto, what she foresees for Solana and one huge crypto prediction for 2025.
This sequence is delivered to you by Consensus Hong Kong. Come and expertise essentially the most influential occasion in Web3 and Digital Belongings, Feb.18-20. Register at present and save 15% with the code CoinDesk15.
Interview has been condensed and evenly edited for readability.
How do you see crypto laws growing in HK in 2025? Do you suppose extra crypto firms will turn into licensed by the SFC in 2025?
It’s thrilling to see that Hong Kong now has seven SFC-licensed digital asset buying and selling platforms. From an investor’s perspective, having a transparent licensing regime is a serious step ahead. Regulatory readability and predictability are like well-lit roads — they provide buyers the arrogance to drive ahead with out worrying about surprising detours.
That mentioned, licensing alone isn’t sufficient. Liquidity is the opposite crucial piece of the puzzle. Consider a buying and selling platform like a brand-new freeway: you may have the smoothest pavement and clearest indicators, but when no automobiles are on it, drivers received’t trouble. Equally, irrespective of what number of licenses you could have, if there’s no energetic buying and selling and liquidity, buyers will hesitate to return aboard.
The important thing for Hong Kong now’s to construct not simply the infrastructure however the visitors circulate — as a result of an amazing platform with out liquidity is like an empty freeway going nowhere.
What sort of function do you see Hong Kong growing by way of the crypto sector, particularly in relation to the US? What about Asia extra broadly?
Hong Kong is the New York of Asia. Alternate Sq. is principally Wall Avenue — a 24/7 monetary powerhouse with hovering skyscrapers and streets filled with merchants, buyers and bankers with power that by no means quits. In case you are a crypto builder or investor, you will discover many TradFi abilities (merchants, market makers, and many others.) in Hong Kong.
To construct a profitable TradFi or DeFi firm, it’s essential recruit particular kinds of expertise which are onerous to seek out even in Silicon Valley. Hong Kong boasts a wealthy monetary historical past, with its inventory market origins relationship again to 1866 — over 150 years — means there’s a deep pool of skilled professionals who can drive innovation and development in your enterprise.
What would you say is distinctive about HK/Southeast Asia for crypto in comparison with the US and Europe?
The U.S. is residence to the most important crypto addressable market by way of institutional buyers, regulators and builders. However Asia is residence to the very best development potential for the crypto market. In 2024, half of the highest 10 nations on the planet ranked by crypto adoption have been positioned in Asia.
With the brand new Trump administration, the U.S. will proceed to set the tone for crypto regulation and institutional adoption (e.g., BlackRock ETF). Asia will comply with their lead with its huge utilization base that’s younger and crypto-native.
Do you view China as usually professional or anti-crypto? There’s been numerous crypto exercise there, however on the identical time, the federal government is formally in opposition to mining and hypothesis.
Hong Kong is a part of China. Seeing pro-crypto regulation slowly forming in Hong Kong is a good signal and indicator for China. That mentioned, China actually has a military of 220 million retail buyers sitting on nearly $21 trillion value of financial savings. With a lingering property disaster and a meek economic system, nonetheless, it is extremely troublesome to say when China will open up for crypto enterprise once more, as the federal government focuses on these bigger points.
You have been a seed investor in Solana; do you continue to have your preliminary funding there? Do you suppose Solana will proceed to draw as a lot memecoin exercise because it did in 2024?
Sure. It was an honor that I obtained to satisfy Solana co-founders Anatoly Yakovenko and Raj Gokal and turn into their seed investor again in March 2018. I’m a long-term Solana holder and supporter. What I really like about them is their dedication to constructing and their assist for the developer neighborhood. The developer power on the 2024 Breakpoint convention was excessive not solely due to memecoins.
The Firedancer group made enormous technical advances final yr, and I simply love that Anatoly remains to be head-down geeking out with folks like Leap Buying and selling chief science officer Kevin Bowers and his group on daily basis. Much more thrilling to me is seeing conventional finance gamers like Constancy, Citi and PayPal talking at Breakpoint about what they’re constructing on Solana. This inflow of established gamers not solely validates Solana’s future but in addition alerts that blockchain expertise is prepared for the plenty.
What sorts of firms are you presently seeking to spend money on and why?
I’m a seed investor in Huma Finance — a pacesetter in PayFi constructing on Solana and a pacesetter in stablecoin infrastructure. In 2024, they did over $2 billion in stablecoin transactions. At Race Capital, we’ll proceed to concentrate on investing in web infrastructure. Builders who wish to be round long-term don’t thoughts whether or not it’s an up or down cycle.
What’s one thing you suppose will occur in 2025 that may shock crypto of us?
The institution of a U.S. Bitcoin Reserve by the top of 2025. The US is presently the most important holder of Bitcoin, with roughly 207,189 bitcoins. This effort might be bolstered by this huge stockpile, which is now valued at over $20 billion at present costs. This resolution is predicted to drive up bitcoin costs, prompting different governments around the globe to comply with go well with.
What are you most excited to debate onstage in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong’s function in constructing the crypto business in 2025, China’s love/hate relationship with crypto and maybe extra insights on Solana.
