RD Technologies didn’t just attend the 2025 Web3 Festival—we shaped its future.

As proud sponsors and headliners of the PayFi Summit, we brought together 300+ industry leaders to explore the transformative power of blockchain-powered payments. Through a visionary keynote and four expert-led panels, we dove deep into the future of Payment Finance (PayFi), bridging traditional finance with decentralized innovation to tackle stablecoin adoption, regulatory challenges, and beyond.

Keynote Spotlight: Rita Liu on the Future of Stablecoins keynote speech

Rita Liu, CEO of RD Technologies, delivers her keynote on the transformative role of stablecoins in global payments at the 2025 PayFi Summit.

Our CEO Rita Liu set the tone with a groundbreaking keynote, "Stablecoins: The Future of Global Payments - Even in an Era of Trade Wars." Here are the key takeaways:

• Stablecoins Surpass Traditional Payment Giants: Stablecoin transactions reached $15.6T in 2024, outpacing Visa (119%) and Mastercard (200%), with emerging markets leading adoption at up to 4.3% of GDP in some regions.
• Hong Kong Fuels the PayFi Revolution: Hong Kong’s $1.2T B2B payment volume in 2024 is primed for disruption through licensed stablecoins, while a CNH-pegged stablecoin could streamline RMB trade, reduce exchange risks, and bridge Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) markets.
• Payment 3.0 Redefines Global Finance: Payment 3.0 shifts from fragmented fintech silos (2.0) to stablecoin-powered ecosystems, enabling 24/7 instant settlements, democratized global liquidity, and tokenized trade finance solutions like letters of credit.

Watch: https://youtu.be/xJD4y3ev6cU

Panel Highlights

Panel 1: PayFi – Balancing Innovation and Regulation 

Moderated by Edwin Cheung ( Global Head of OTC, Gate.io), this panel featured Burgra Celik (Director of Digital Assets, HSBC), Devon Sin ( GM of Business Banking and Lending, ZA Bank), Alvin Kwock (Co-founder & CEO, OneInfintity), and Liang Li (CEO, HashKey OTC). 

The panel explored the tension between innovation and regulatory compliance in PayFi, discussing how stablecoin issuers can navigate global frameworks while fostering adoption. Key highlights include:

• Regulatory Engagement Shapes PayFi Growth: Early involvement with regulators, such as through Hong Kong’s Project Ensemble Sandbox, is crucial for building compliant PayFi products within traditional finance, ensuring innovation aligns with legal frameworks.
• Clarity Fuels Stablecoin Adoption: Banks are eager to leverage stablecoins for cross-border payments but await clear regulations, like Hong Kong’s Stablecoin Bill, to identify safe integration options and overcome adoption barriers.
• Security Measures Build Trust: High-profile incidents, like the $30M Tether hack and $1.45B Bybit breach, highlight the need for AI-driven monitoring to mitigate risks, fostering confidence in PayFi systems.     
  
   

Watch:  https://youtu.be/5chd3Sxiz-A

Panel 2: The Revolution of PayFi Landscape 

Ian Lee (EVP, Head of Product & Strategy, RD Technologies) moderated this discussion with Lily Liu (President, Solana Foundation), David Rogers ( CEO, Asis-Pacific at B2C2), Stanley Huo (Partner, Head of Asia, Hivemind), and Donato Pio Giarnera (BD Head, Midde East & APAC at ARF). 

The panel explored PayFi’s potential to transform global payments, with Lily Liu defining it as new financial primitives around a payments layer and predicting seamless crypto-fiat swaps within three years. Key takeaways include:

• PayFi Transforms Commerce with New Primitives: PayFi leverages blockchain for near-instant, low-cost settlements focused on transactions, not trading, unlocking cost savings and profit opportunities through the time value of money.
• APAC Leads Cross-Border Adoption: In Asia, blockchain-enabled payments address high fees and delays, with stablecoins enabling faster, cheaper transactions driven by strong consumer demand and talent.
• Infrastructure Fuels PayFi Scale: Performant blockchains, stablecoin liquidity, and developer ecosystems are critical to scale PayFi, reducing pre-funding costs (e.g., $4T locked globally) and enabling real-time SME payouts.

Watch:  https://youtu.be/rSd4155XNMc

Panel 3: What’s Next for Stablecoins? 

Moderated by Gary Liu (CEO, Terminal 3), with panelists Jeannie Lim (MD, Paxos), John Cahill (COO, Asia at Galaxy Digital), Abel Seow (Head of APAC, BitGo), and Sergio Mello (Head of Stablecoins, Anchorage Digital). 

The panel discussed stablecoin advancements, focusing on U.S. regulatory clarity, use cases like faster cross-border payments, and challenges like market consolidation, aiming for equitable financial access. Key highlights include:

• Stablecoins Boost Efficiency and Inclusion: By enabling faster, cheaper cross-border payments, stablecoins address delays (e.g., up to T+28 in emerging markets), empowering underserved communities and SMEs with equitable access to global finance.
• Regulatory Progress Faces Challenges: U.S. advancements, like the SEC’s stance on stablecoins and the Stable Act, drive adoption, but fragmented regulations and high liquidity demands may hinder growth, particularly in regions like Hong Kong.
• Network Effects Shape Success: Stablecoin profitability hinges on distribution and alliances (e.g., Global Dollar), with potential market consolidation posing risks to retail users if regulators don’t prioritize sustainable frameworks.

Watch:  https://youtu.be/TFpMP9Lfiw4

Panel 4: The Evolving Global PayFi Landscape 

Justin Chan (EVP, Head of Business & Partnership, RD Technologies) moderated this panel with Michael Gao (Co-founder & CEO, RedotPay), Rita Liu (Group CEO & Director, RD Technologies), Michael Zhao (Co-founder & CEO, Klickl), and Ezra Kebrab (Founder & CEO, Caliza). 

The panel addressed regulatory compliance and adoption challenges, predicting stablecoins could dominate half of Hong Kong’s $1.2 trillion B2B payment flow in 3-5 years, potentially reaching a $3 trillion market cap in a decade. Key highlights include:

• Payment 3.0 Enhances Cross-Border Efficiency: Stablecoins power Payment 3.0 with 24/7 instant settlements at near-zero costs, overcoming inefficiencies of Swift and fintech silos by democratizing liquidity through DeFi and tokenized money.
• Emerging Markets Drive Use Cases: Stablecoins address pain points in regions like Africa, the Middle East, and Latam, from crypto credit cards preserving value against inflation to remittances, like a South African golfer in the UAE saving 50% on fees.
• Regulatory Clarity Spurs Growth: 2025 marks a turning point with clearer regulations (25+ countries developing frameworks), maturing ecosystems, and macro shifts like U.S. policy changes, fostering collaboration to integrate stablecoins into traditional systems.

Watch:  https://youtu.be/svjGkMi5TqI

Side Events

Builders & Backers Dinner Co-hosted with Hivemind (April 7, Evening)

Fintech leaders, investors, and institutional partners connect over dinner at the exclusive Builders & Backers event, co-hosted by RD Technologies and Hivemind, to advance the PayFi revolution.

RD Technologies and Hivemind co-hosted an exclusive VIP dinner after the summit, uniting institutional partners, investors, and fintech leaders. This intimate gathering fostered meaningful connections and sparked discussions on accelerating PayFi adoption, reinforcing our commitment to driving innovation in global finance.

Caliza x RD Group – PayFi Happy Hour (April 8, Evening)

PayFi partners share ideas over cocktails at the Caliza x RD Group Happy Hour, sparking the future of cross-border payments and crypto adoption.

RD Group and Caliza co-hosted a dynamic happy hour, uniting builders, operators, and partners in the PayFi ecosystem. Over curated cocktails, we engaged in lively discussions on the future of cross-border payments, compliance infrastructure, and real-world crypto adoption—forging connections to shape the next wave of financial innovation.

Event Summary: Pioneering the PayFi Revolution

The Web3 Festival 2025 PayFi Summit marked a turning point for the industry, with RD Technologies at the forefront, driving conversations that will shape the future of global payments. From Rita Liu’s visionary keynote to our impactful panels and community-building side events, we ignited a spark of innovation, uniting leaders to push the boundaries of what’s possible with stablecoins and PayFi. This is just the beginning—RD Technologies is ready to lead the charge in this financial revolution, and we’re thrilled to see where this journey takes us next!

Join Us in Shaping the Future of PayFi

Stay connected with us to learn more about our solutions, upcoming events, and community initiatives—together, we can redefine global payments. Visit our website or follow our social media to join the RD PayFi community today!