— In Conjunction with Strategic Partnership Between Funde Securities and EX.IO
Summary: On September 23, 2025, JF SmartInvest Holdings announced a strategic investment in EX.IO, further solidifying its overseas digital finance strategy. Concurrently, Funde Securities entered into a strategic partnership with EX.IO. The trio will collaborate to build a closed-loop digital asset service ecosystem, capitalizing on new opportunities in Hong Kong’s digital asset market.
On September 23, 2025, the “JF SmartInvest Holdings Strategic Investment in EX.IO and Strategic Partnership Signing Ceremony with Funde Securities” was held in Hong Kong. Fintech company JF SmartInvest Holdings (9636.HK), global Web3 innovator EXIO Group Limited (“EX.IO”), and prominent internet brokerage Funde Securities Limited (“Funde Securities”) announced a series of significant collaborations. This milestone marks a critical step in their joint efforts to drive innovation and build a digital finance ecosystem.
JF SmartInvest Holdings’ Strategic Investment in EX.IO Bolsters Global Digital Finance Strategy During the ceremony, JF SmartTrade, a wholly-owned subsidiary of JF SmartInvest Holdings, completed a strategic investment in EX.IO, a global leader in Web3 innovation. This investment is a pivotal move for JF SmartInvest Holdings to deepen its overseas digital asset business and enhance its on-chain financial service ecosystem.
EX.IO is a global leader bridging traditional finance (Web2) and the Web3 ecosystem, offering innovative, compliant, and secure financial solutions. Its subsidiary, EXIO Limited, received an operating license from the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) in December 2024, establishing it as a compliant digital asset trading platform providing services such as digital asset trading, custody, and distribution.
Following a US$100 million strategic placement in July, JF SmartInvest Holdings is doubling down on its overseas digital asset strategy to advance its international and diversified business objectives. The investment in EX.IO enables rapid entry into Hong Kong’s and global compliant digital asset markets, providing licensing support and regulatory assurance for future expansion. By combining JF SmartInvest Holdings’ expertise in intelligent investment advisory services with EX.IO’s leadership in blockchain and Web3 technologies, the two parties will leverage their complementary strengths to create a comprehensive service ecosystem covering digital asset issuance, trading, custody, and advisory. They will also explore innovative applications of “AI + research” in digital asset scenarios to drive the adoption of intelligent digital asset services.
Forthright Securities Company Limited and EX.IO Form Strategic Partnership to Expand in Hong Kong’s Digital Asset Market In addition, Forthright Securities Company Limited and EX.IO signed a strategic partnership agreement, leveraging their respective strengths in licensing, technology, and market experience to seize opportunities in Hong Kong’s burgeoning digital asset market.
Forthright Securities Company Limited, a leading internet brokerage focused on providing Hong Kong and U.S. stock trading services to global Chinese investors, holds SFC licenses for Types 1, 2, 4, and 5 regulated activities. Amid emerging opportunities in Hong Kong’s stablecoin and Real World Asset (RWA) sectors, Forthright Securities Company Limited will upgrade its Type 1 and Type 4 licenses to offer virtual asset trading and investment advisory services, facilitating its transformation from an internet brokerage into a tokenized investment bank and institution.
Notably, JF SmartInvest Holdings previously announced plans to acquire Forthright Securities Company Limited, strengthening its cross-border financial service capabilities.
As a well-established player in Hong Kong, Forthright Securities Company Limited brings extensive local market experience and a robust client base. Combined with EX.IO’s compliant trading platform and technological prowess, and JF SmartInvest Holdings’ intelligent advisory system, the three parties will form a powerful ecosystem with complementary strengths. This collaboration will establish a closed-loop digital finance business model integrating “exchange + brokerage + advisory,” significantly enhancing comprehensive on-chain financial services and delivering a more diverse and holistic investment experience for clients.
Triad Collaboration to Build Ecosystem and Set New Benchmark for Hong Kong’s Digital Finance With the release of the Hong Kong Digital Asset Development Policy Declaration 2.0 in June 2025, Hong Kong is accelerating its efforts to build a well-regulated, institution-led, and product-diverse digital asset ecosystem. According to the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the total transaction volume of bank-related digital asset products and tokenized asset trading reached HK$26.1 billion in the first half of 2025, a 233% increase year-on-year, surpassing the full-year total for 2024.
Amid supportive policies and market opportunities, financial institutions with strong traditional finance foundations and technological capabilities are actively integrating resources and fostering innovation to capture Hong Kong’s digital finance market, driving the industry toward greater professionalism, stability, and integration. The collaboration between JF SmartInvest Holdings, Forthright Securities Company Limited, and EX.IO represents not only a synergy of complementary business strengths but also a model case for building a digital finance ecosystem, poised to inject new momentum into the industry’s high-quality development.
About EXIO Group Limited
EXIO Group Limited is a leading global enterprise that connects the traditional finance (Web2) and Web3 ecosystems, providing innovative, compliant, and secure financial solutions. Headquartered in Hong Kong, the group operates through multiple subsidiaries, including EXIO Limited (a compliant Virtual Asset Trading Platform, VATP, regulated by the Hong Kong SFC) and EXIO FZCO (currently applying for a VASP license regulated by Dubai’s VARA). EXIO Group Limited’s mission is to empower global users with cutting-edge Web3 financial services, fusing compliant regulation, advanced technology, and deep banking partnerships to serve institutional, high-net-worth, and retail clients.
For more information, please visit:
Website: https://www.ex.io
RWA Lab: https://community.ex.io/rwa-lab/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/exio-hk/
PR Contact: pr@ex.io
