Scholarly discussions of fictitious capital have increasingly sought to broaden Marx’s economic concept to consider its cultural dimensions, highlighting the role of abstraction and imagination in fuelling the expansion of contemporary finance. This paper extends the notion of fictious capital through the lens of Hong Kong and its ambition to become a “global hub” for Web3 technologies. Through participant observation conducted at major web3 conferences in the city, this study illustrates an aspired convergence of multiple forms of fictitious capital. I highlight how the blending of financial, cultural, and human capitals under the Web3 framework gives rise to an envisioned capital concentration that is reconfiguring the socio-economic fabric of this global financial centre. I argue that the convergence of capital accompanies the expansion of finance, and acknowledging this dynamic contributes an additional analytical dimension to our understanding fictious capital. The broader significance of this paper is to advocate for revisiting the concept of fictitious capital in light of the increasing social impact of decentralised financial technologies.

📅 Date: Tuesday, January 13, 2026

🕑 Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

📍 Venue: CJT-9.29

🗣️ Language: English

🔗 Register here: https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?ueid=104667

***This event is exclusively open to Faculty staff and research postgraduate (RPg) students under the Faculty of Social Sciences. Pre-registration is required.***