WeBank Technology Services has introduced a new blockchain infrastructure initiative named POTOS (Portal of the Orient Symposium for Web3), aimed at catalyzing the growth of Hong Kong’s Web3 ecosystem. Designed specifically to support real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, POTOS offers a three-layer value exchange infrastructure tailored for institutional use. The rollout marks a strategic step by the company to establish a trusted and efficient digital asset environment in one of Asia’s most ambitious financial hubs.
The infrastructure’s first phase provides a robust framework that includes a high-performance blockchain to bridge various asset classes, cross-chain protocols to support atomic swaps, and a suite of advanced security tools incorporating zero-knowledge proofs. These features are intended to lay the groundwork for secure, compliant, and scalable digital transactions across blockchain networks.
Vision for Trust and Transformation in Web3
WeBank’s leadership expressed strong confidence in the potential of this initiative to contribute meaningfully to Hong Kong’s Web3 advancement. Company representatives emphasized that the goal is to evolve value exchange mechanisms in ways that enhance trust—an essential component for the digital economy. The company is seeking to leverage its blockchain expertise to position Hong Kong as a center of innovation and compliance within the rapidly evolving Web3 space.
POTOS is developed on the FISCO BCOS blockchain, a financial-grade, open-source platform originally initiated by WeBank. The system reportedly handles up to 200,000 transactions per second (TPS) and supports horizontal scalability, making it a strong candidate for institutional-scale operations. Since its full open-sourcing in 2017, FISCO BCOS has been deployed in more than 500 digital transformation projects, with a developer and institutional community that now includes over 100,000 individuals and 5,000 organizations.
Strategic Shift in Blockchain Vision
The launch of POTOS appears to reflect a broader evolution in WeBank’s blockchain strategy. At a key industry conference held in China in 2023, a senior executive from the bank outlined a vision for a new “Open Consortium Chain 2.0” model. This next-generation approach aims to capture opportunities within Web3 by transitioning from closed, permissioned blockchain environments to platforms designed with broader, community-driven characteristics.
Despite China’s regulatory stance against cryptocurrencies and public blockchains, WeBank has consistently worked within a consortium chain model, emphasizing compliance and trust. By the end of 2023, its blockchain infrastructure had reportedly processed over 400 million transactions across approximately 30 applications, further underscoring its commitment to long-term scalability and innovation in digital finance.
Competitive Blockchain Developments: WeBank and Ant Group
While WeBank is pushing forward with tokenization and RWA infrastructure, its principal competitor Ant Group has taken a different route in the blockchain space. Ant’s international blockchain focus has centered on cross-border payment solutions, such as tokenized deposits and stablecoin integrations. Recent updates from Ant highlighted partnerships with major banks like Standard Chartered and OCBC, aimed at enabling real-time 24/7 payment corridors between Singapore and Malaysia through its Whale platform.
The divergence in strategy highlights two distinct visions for blockchain’s role in finance: one centered on trust-driven tokenization and ecosystem infrastructure, and the other on payment innovation and liquidity enhancements. With POTOS now active, WeBank appears to be reinforcing its commitment to making Hong Kong a vital node in the Web3 evolution.
