Ant International and Bettr Join Hong Kong GenA.I. Sandbox++ for AI Liquidity Management

Ant Bank and Bettr have joined Hong Kong’s GenA.I. Sandbox++ to pilot advanced liquidity risk management using proprietary time-series AI. For fintech professionals, this represents a significant shift toward using generative models to solve the complex, real-time treasury challenges inherent in a 24/7 digital banking ecosystem, moving beyond traditional static forecasting methods.

What was announced

Ant Bank, a digital bank based in Hong Kong, and its inclusive embedded financial solutions provider, Bettr, have been selected to participate in the GenA.I. Sandbox++. This initiative, specifically focusing on the liquidity risk management track, was launched by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) in collaboration with the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), the Insurance Authority (IA), the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA), and the Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited (Cyberport). The sandbox is designed to foster artificial intelligence innovation within Hong Kong’s broader financial industry.

The partnership will see Ant Bank leverage Ant International's proprietary Falcon Time-Series Transformer (TST) AI Model 2.0. This model is engineered to enhance FX and liquidity management capabilities by deploying granular, statistically-grounded daily forecasts. These forecasts are intended to support more precise and proactive liquidity planning for the bank's real-time treasury management, strengthening its ability to operate within a 24/7 financial ecosystem.

Falcon TST 2.0 is a proprietary model designed to deliver accurate forecasting in real-world FX risk management for cross-border payments. It recently achieved state-of-the-art (SOTA) performance on the Mean Absolute Scaled Error (MASE) metric, which is a leading global public evaluation benchmark for time-series foundational models. The Falcon TST 2.0 model’s forecast accuracy is reported to exceed 93%. As the bank's technology partner, Bettr's Platform Tech will support the deployment of the model for Ant Bank's treasury team. Together, the companies aim to develop best practices for AI-driven liquidity risk management, reflecting the bank's status as Hong Kong's only digital bank deeply integrated with an e-wallet.

The companies involved

Ant International is a global digital payment and financial services provider that focuses on inclusive and sustainable development through technology. Its subsidiary, Ant Bank, is a digital bank based in Hong Kong that aims to provide innovative, customer-centric digital financial services. Ant Bank is notable in the market for being the only digital bank in the region that is deeply integrated with an e-wallet system, allowing it to align its services with the 24/7 digital lifestyles and financial activities of its users.

Bettr acts as the inclusive embedded financial solutions provider for the group. Its Platform Tech is designed to support complex financial operations, including the deployment of advanced AI models like the Falcon TST 2.0 for treasury and liquidity planning.

The regulatory framework for this project involves several key Hong Kong authorities. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) serves as the central banking institution and primary regulator of the banking sector. The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) is an independent statutory body that regulates Hong Kong's securities and futures markets. The Insurance Authority (IA) is the regulator for the insurance industry, while the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) oversees the territory's compulsory retirement savings schemes. Finally, Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited, or Cyberport, is a government-owned digital technology hub that hosts a large community of fintech startups and enterprises, providing the infrastructure for the GenA.I. Sandbox++.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has previously covered the evolving regulatory and technological landscape in Hong Kong's financial sector. This includes reports on how Bowtie Adopts HKFI Standardized Critical Illness Definitions to Enhance Consumer Protection, highlighting the region's focus on standardized best practices. Additionally, the market has seen significant activity in digital assets, such as when Bitfire Group Launches Hong Kong’s First Compliant Crypto Quantitative Strategy and Expands RWA Operations. Other regional developments include the RFI and Safeheron Launch Post-Quantum Cryptography Pilot for Institutional Digital Assets, and broader industry gatherings like when Money20/20 Middle East Returns to Riyadh as Global Fintech Leaders Gather to Shape the Future of Finance.

What this means

The move toward AI-driven liquidity management signals a shift in how digital banks handle the volatility of 24/7 markets. Traditional treasury models often struggle with the speed and volume of real-time digital transactions, placing immense pressure on liquidity buffers. By utilizing time-series transformers with high accuracy, Ant Bank is addressing a critical industry pain point: the need for predictive rather than reactive risk management. This development puts pressure on traditional institutions to upgrade their legacy systems or risk falling behind in capital efficiency. It also raises questions for regulators about the transparency and auditability of foundational AI models when used for core banking stability.