On November 6th, Ronghui Gu, co-founder and CEO of CertiK and professor at Columbia University, attended the China International Finance Forum·Hong Kong Summit and participated in a roundtable discussion on " Compliance and Innovation of Digital Asset Trading Platforms ." Professor Gu shared his insights on the compliance trends and regulatory synergy of digital asset trading platforms. He pointed out that with the shift in global regulatory attitudes towards the Web3 industry, compliance has become a core issue for promoting the long-term healthy development of digital finance.
At the forum, Professor Gu Ronghui stated that CertiK maintains close communication with major global regulatory agencies and large financial institutions. “Whether it’s regulators or traditional financial institutions, there are always certain concerns when entering the Web3 field. Their first reaction is often worry about security issues, and frequently they don’t understand the specific sources of these risks,” he said. “This is precisely CertiK’s strength – we not only provide security and compliance solutions for the industry, but also offer technical references for regulatory development and risk governance .”
As a member of the first Hong Kong Task Force on Web3 Development and the only Web3-background technical advisor to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), Professor Gu Ronghui, drawing on CertiK's global reach and regulatory collaboration experience, systematically analyzed the core characteristics of current global digital asset regulation. He pointed out that since 2022, global regulation has shown a clear regional divergence: the United States has adopted a relatively conservative attitude towards blockchain and crypto assets, while Asian markets, represented by Hong Kong and Singapore, have been the first to embrace emerging technologies. However, with the passage of the US GENIUS Act this year and the agreement reached between the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in the field of digital asset regulation, a systematic regulatory framework is expected to be introduced soon. This trend is expected to promote global regulatory coordination and policy alignment. Professor Gu Ronghui stated, " We anticipate seeing more regulatory frameworks introduced and implemented in 2026. "
When discussing the balance between compliance and innovation, Professor Gu Ronghui emphasized that the compliant development of the Web3 industry must be based on technological security, and human risk is the most easily overlooked key link in the compliance system. He cited the example of a Hong Kong-based stablecoin company that suffered a $50 million theft due to an employee's insertion of a backdoor in the code. Notably, this covert internal theft did not escape the detection of CertiK's Skynet monitoring system. Professor Gu stated that CertiK's Skynet monitoring system possesses the core capability to identify abnormal transaction behavior, and it was this system that captured this unusual fund transfer transaction.
Professor Gu Ronghui pointed out that as more and more companies enter the Web3 field, related risks are gradually emerging, but most institutions are still unfamiliar with these risks and lack visualization tools and prevention and control measures. In response to this situation, CertiK launched the Skynet report series, including three issues already released in Hong Kong, covering stablecoins , RWA , and DAT . These reports summarize the security issues, potential risks, and typical incidents that are of most concern to enterprise clients and regulatory agencies, and have received widespread media attention and coverage.
Meanwhile, CertiK's Skynet monitoring system collaborates with regulators globally, including in the United States, the Middle East, and Asia. Through this system, regulators can monitor potential risks in real time, identify problems immediately, and take action, filling a gap in traditional regulation regarding Web3 technology risk identification. As the world's largest Web3 security company, CertiK serves over 5,000 enterprise clients, protecting assets totaling over $600 billion. Professor Gu Ronghui stated that CertiK's practices demonstrate that technological innovation not only supports compliance requirements but also safeguards industry innovation.
Looking ahead to the industry's development over the next 1-3 years, Professor Gu Ronghui pointed out that as the global regulatory framework gradually becomes clearer, blockchain technology will move from proof-of-concept to more practical applications . He stated that CertiK has already partnered with several large banks and traditional financial institutions, observing an increasing number of blockchain-based applications being implemented. For example, some banks have begun using blockchain technology to optimize their internal settlement processes, significantly reducing costs and improving efficiency. Professor Gu anticipates that further improvements in regulatory policies will drive more compliant and secure blockchain innovations to be implemented in the real economy, injecting new momentum into the sustainable development of the digital finance industry.
