China Financial Leasing to raise $11M for crypto‑AI platform
China Financial Leasing Group (HKEX: 2312) plans to raise HK$86.7 million (~$11.1 million) via a private placement as it pivots toward digital assets. In a Sunday filing, the company said Innoval Capital will subscribe for 69.38 million new shares at HK$1.25 each, funding the build‑out of a crypto + AI investment platform and related asset‑management capabilities.
The subscription equals roughly 20% of existing share capital, or 16.7% of the enlarged base post‑deal. Management says the strategy is to assemble a platform that can invest across the digital‑asset stack – from exchanges and stablecoins to BTC, ETH, tokenized real‑world assets (RWA), NFTs, DeFi and DePIN – while also developing internal tools that use AI to evaluate and manage portfolios. The move aligns with Hong Kong’s June policy statement encouraging digital‑asset development, the filing noted.
The buyer is Innoval Capital, a BVI‑incorporated investment firm founded by Moore Xin Jin. Jin is the chief executive of Antalpha Platform Holding Company (Nasdaq: ANTA), which, according to the filing, manages over $1.6 billion. China Financial Leasing frames Innoval as a strategic investor bringing domain expertise in crypto and fintech alongside capital.
The shares jumped about 25% by 2:00 p.m. in Hong Kong on Monday, taking the market capitalization to roughly HK$555 million (~$71 million). Intraday moves may be volatile as the market digests dilution, use of proceeds and the long ramp needed to stand up a new platform.
A share placement is a way to sell newly issued stock to a specific investor to raise cash. Proceeds will be used to develop a crypto-AI investment platform that will target opportunities in exchanges, stablecoins, BTC/ETH infrastructure, tokenized assets, DeFi and DePIN. The company also plans to build AI-driven research and risk-management tools to support these investments.
Hong Kong has been courting digital‑asset businesses; a listed micro‑cap redirecting fresh capital into crypto is one more data point in that push. If the platform launches, it could become a local gateway for public‑market investors to gain crypto exposure through an HK‑listed vehicle rather than directly holding tokens.
Completion of placements typically depends on customary conditions set out in the subscription agreement and HKEX approvals. The company said it aims to reposition itself as an “innovative digital‑asset investment holding group,” integrating AI and blockchain, and will update the market as the platform and product lineup develop.
