HSBC has joined forces with the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) to roll out the MENA region’s first digitally native bond powered by blockchain technology. This milestone adds to HSBC’s expanding suite of digital bond issuances on its Orion platform.
As reported by Middle East Economy, ADX has already begun pricing the bond, which will be issued by FAB and launched through Orion — HSBC’s blockchain-based digital asset infrastructure. While Orion operates via the Central Moneymarkets Unit in Hong Kong and has a presence in Luxembourg, this bond will be issued through the Hong Kong platform due to its connectivity with Euroclear and Clearstream, enabling smooth access for global investors.
This partnership marks Orion’s debut in the Middle East. Though this is the platform’s first digital bond in the region, Orion has previously facilitated several high-profile digital issuances. These include a digital treasury note in Luxembourg and a €100 million digital bond from the European Investment Bank, which was settled via a wholesale central bank digital currency.
Orion also played a key role in the Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s (HKMA) landmark multi-currency green bond issuance in February of last year. That deal saw the Hong Kong government issue the equivalent of HKD 6 billion in digital bonds across HKD, CNH, USD, and EUR. The settlement was executed using atomic delivery-versus-payment, slashing settlement times from T+5 to T+1 and attracting over 50 global investors.
Beyond bonds, HSBC’s Orion platform has also been leveraged to launch tokenized gold products aimed at retail investors, underscoring its broader ambition to support next-generation digital asset innovation.
