GLEIF Expands in Asia-Pacific as Demand for Digital Organizational Identity Accelerates.

Alexandre Kech - CEO - Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF)

The Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF), a non-profit established in 2014 by the Financial Stability Board (FSB) under the G20 mandate, is accelerating its mission across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, GLEIF drives global adoption of the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) and the verifiable LEI (vLEI) to deliver unprecedented transparency and trust in financial and digital transactions.

Strategic Expansion Across Asia-Pacific

According to the latest FSB progress report on LEI implementation, the APAC region now ranks third globally in LEI registration, trailing only Europe and North America. China has emerged as a cornerstone of GLEIF’s long-term Asia-Pacific Strategy, bolstered by the country’s 2020 Roadmap for LEI Implementation and the elevation of ISO 17442 Parts 1 and 2 to recommended national standards (GB/T).

To meet growing demand, GLEIF has established representative offices in Japan, Singapore, India, and - most recently - Shanghai’s Lin-gang Special Area. Under the leadership of Yanzhao Zhang, GLEIF’s Country Representative for China, the new office is deepening collaboration with regulators, government agencies, and industry partners. A landmark policy from the Lin-gang Special Area Administrative Committee now fully reimburses LEI-related costs for offshore trade, streamlining identity verification and compliance in cross-border transactions.

APAC Leads the vLEI Revolution

The verifiable LEI (vLEI) provides organizations and their authorized representatives with cryptographically secure, globally recognized digital credentials. Its open, platform-agnostic architecture makes it ideal for diverse sectors, from finance to global supply chains.

The region dominates vLEI issuance: six of the world’s eight Qualified vLEI Issuers (QVIs) are headquartered in APAC, spanning jurisdictions such as Mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Thailand. Prominent Chinese institutions, including the China Financial Certification Authority (CFCA), Certizen Technology, TradeGo, and the Shanghai Electronic Certification Authority (SHECA), are already delivering commercial vLEI services to enterprises.

A pioneering example is BOCOM FinTech, a subsidiary of Bank of Communications. By integrating LEI into cross-border e-commerce under the Silk Road E-commerce initiative, the solution has transformed identity verification, enhanced transaction transparency, and simplified regulatory compliance. Enterprises now benefit from better data, reduced operational costs, and expanded access to financing—strengthening their global competitiveness.

vLEI Hackathon in Hong Kong: Celebrating Breakthrough Innovation

On November 7, 2025, GLEIF hosted the Global Forum on Digital Organizational Identity at Cyberport headquarters in Hong Kong, spotlighting the successful conclusion of the inaugural vLEI Hackathon. Launched in July 2025, the competition challenged developers worldwide to create vLEI-powered solutions across different industries.

Six finalist teams showcased groundbreaking prototypes live on stage. Dataswyft was crowned as the winner of the third theme of the vLEI Hackathon, with AEOTrade earning runner-up recognition. The awards ceremony underscored vLEI’s real-world potential to solve pressing digital-trust challenges across industries.

Building a Trusted Digital Future

With new regional offices, a thriving network of regional QVIs, and proven leadership in innovation, GLEIF is cementing Asia-Pacific’s position at the forefront of digital organizational identity. As adoption of LEI and vLEI continues to surge, businesses across the region are gaining powerful tools to navigate an increasingly complex global economy with confidence.

Looking towards the future, GLEIF and its partners remain fully committed to shaping a safer, more transparent digital tomorrow, where every organization can prove who it is, instantly and irrevocably.