中銀香港按揭服務試用區塊鏈
Bank of China and HSBC are aMong a group of lenders aiming to launch mortgage services in Hong Kong using blockchain — the decentralised database technology behind the digital currency bitcoin.
中國銀行(Bank of China)和匯豐(HSBC)等銀行正力求在香港推出使用區塊鏈（數字貨幣比特幣背後的分佈式數據庫技術）的按揭服務。
So far, Bank of China (Hong Kong) has led tests on a property valuation system for home loans based on blockchain technology, according to Duncan Wong, vice-president of financial technologies at Astri, the government-backed research institute working on the system. He said the bank plans to go live with it next month.
系統開發單位、政府支持的研究機構香港應用科技研究院(Astri)的金融科技副總裁王世鬆(Duncan Wong)介紹說，迄今中國銀行（香港）牽頭測試基於區塊鏈技術、用於按揭貸款的物業估值系統。他表示，中銀香港計劃在下月啓用這一系統。
It will use the secure database capabilities of blockchain to provide quick property valuations for mortgage applicants in Hong Kong. At present, when customers apply for mortgages, the banks hire surveyors to value the property being bought. But as different customers shop around for mortgages, the same survey work is often conducted multiple times on the same property.
它將利用區塊鏈的安全數據庫功能，爲香港的按揭申請人提供快速物業估值。目前，當客戶申請按揭時，銀行聘請測量師對客戶想要購買的物業進行估值。但是，隨着不同的客戶都在申請按揭時“貨比三家”，同一物業往往被測量多次。
Now, blockchain can be used to create a decentralised network of banks and surveyors through which the latest valuations can be listed, verified and shared in a matter of seconds.
現在，區塊鏈可被用於創建一個銀行和測量師的分散網絡，通過該網絡，只需幾秒鐘內就可列出、驗證和共享最新的估值。
“To the best of our knowledge, this will be the first production-grade [blockchain] mortgage system to integrate with a bank,” said Mr ained
“據我們所知，這將是第一套集成至銀行的生產級（區塊鏈）按揭系統，”王世鬆說。
HSBC and several other banks in the city have also “aligned the data requirements to be posted in blockchain”, according to one person involved in the project, although they are yet to finalise plans for joining the system.
參與該項目的一名知情人士稱，匯豐和該市其他幾家銀行也“已達到了在區塊鏈系統中發佈的數據要求”，儘管它們尚未敲定加入該系統的計劃。
BOCHK confirmed it was testing such products. HSBC declined to comment.
中銀香港確認正在測試此類產品。匯豐拒絕置評。
Adopting blockchain for banking products such as mortgages represents a major step in the use of new technology for traditional banking businesses. Until now, banks have talked up the potential uses of blockchain but have also, which have kept it at arm’s length so far, fearing repercussions from regulators.
對按揭貸款等銀行產品採用區塊鏈，代表着利用新技術改革傳統銀行業務的一大步。此前，各銀行對區塊鏈的潛在用途談得很多，但另一方面也與這種技術保持距離，擔心招致監管機構的反彈。
Blockchain grabbed global attention in late 2013 when the value of the digital currency bitcoin soared to more than $1,000 per coin. But while the focus on the digital currency has waned, the underlying ledger technology has been touted as a way to improve banks’ record-keeping, land registration, lending and online payments.
區塊鏈在2013年末引起全球關注，當時數字貨幣比特幣的價值飆升至每枚硬幣1000美元以上。但是，儘管對數字貨幣的關注自那以來已經減弱，但是基礎的賬簿技術被譽爲一種改進銀行記錄保存、土地登記、放貸和在線支付的一種方式。
PwC, the professional services firm, has said that by providing a decentralised network to verify information, blockchain can produce “transaction records that are infallible and incorruptible”.
專業服務公司普華永道(PwC)表示，通過提供一個分散的網絡來驗證信息，區塊鏈可以生成“不會出錯和不可破壞的交易記錄”。
At present, few banks have tried to integrate a blockchain into their internal banking systems due to regulatory concerns over data leaks and vulnerability to cyber attacks. But Mr Wong said: “The reason we focused on the property valuation is because there is less regulatory concern for this.” He added that there was a plan to eventually build a system including more sensitive legal documents.
目前，由於監管部門擔憂數據泄露和易受網絡攻擊，很少有銀行試圖將區塊鏈集成至其內部系統。但王世鬆說：“我們專注於物業估值的原因，就是因爲這方面的監管擔憂較少。”他補充說，有計劃最終打造一套包含較敏感法律文件的系統。
Trials for the systemare being conducted in what is known as Hong Kong’s financial technology “sandbox”, which is overseen by Astri and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. HKMA did not comment on the mortgage system, but said it was working on a research study aimed at better understanding blockchain.
該系統正在所謂的香港金融技術“沙箱”內試運行，由香港應用科技研究院和香港金融管理局控管。金管局沒有就該按揭系統發表評論，但表示正在進行一項旨在更好了解區塊鏈的研究。
