https://www.scmp.com/rss/128652/feed The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) is an independent statutory body set up in 1989 to regulate the city’s securities and futures markets. It works to ensure orderly securities and futures market operations, to protect investors and help promote Hong Kong as an international financial centre and a key financial market in China. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Brian Wong Brian Wong A prominent hedge fund manager took advantage of a bank’s “wholesale collective failure” to prevent illicit trading, making HK$1.7 million in a single day by using confidential information to sell shares in a Hong Kong fashion house nine years ago, prosecutors alleged on Tuesday. British-born investor Simon Sadler is on trial at the District Court alongside the now-defunct Segantii Capital Management and former employee Daniel Anthony La Rocca Jnr over alleged insider dealing in the shares of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352518/hong-kong-block-trade-king-exploited-bank-lapse-make-hk17-million-court-told?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352518/hong-kong-block-trade-king-exploited-bank-lapse-make-hk17-million-court-told?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 11:18:54 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The predicted demise of physical newspapers may be premature, but paper use in the stock market is definitely passé. Thankfully, the Securities and Futures Commission will phase it out and digitise the market within five years. That should be enough time for any Luddite to adjust. A launch date has been set for November 16 for rolling out a fully digital, paperless stock market. The aim is to boost efficiency and strengthen the city’s competitiveness. Digitalised securities and their documents... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3348785/paperless-stock-market-way-forward-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3348785/paperless-stock-market-way-forward-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 22:45:08 +0000 Richard Harris Richard Harris The mighty Zambezi River has its source in northern Zambia, and flows north, west, south, then east, tracing borders for several countries including Zimbabwe. As the river enters Zimbabwe, the water molecules begin to flow faster, unknowingly energised – developing first into a rush, then eventually a torrent as they plunge down the Victoria Falls. This is an excellent analogy of the extremes of stock market price movements. In a stock market crash, prices move slowly, then very fast. My... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348698/us-hong-kong-theres-no-excuse-insider-trading?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348698/us-hong-kong-theres-no-excuse-insider-trading?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 21:30:10 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong will roll out a fully digital, paperless stock market from November 16, a move aimed at boosting efficiency and strengthening the city’s competitiveness, the market regulator said on Monday. About 2,600 listed companies will transition to the new system in phases over five years after the launch, while firms going public after November 16 would no longer issue physical share certificates, according to the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC). Investors will still be able to retain... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348437/hong-kong-turns-page-paper-shares-digital-shift-kicks-november?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3348437/hong-kong-turns-page-paper-shares-digital-shift-kicks-november?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 13:30:11 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Hong Kong’s securities watchdog has recommended strengthening the stock exchange’s system for company listing and compliance following a review. It comes at a good time as the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) has proposed the biggest reform of listing rules in almost a decade. While HKEX works to make it easier and more efficient for companies to raise capital in the city, the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) must ensure investors are protected with any changes. The city’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3347554/hkex-should-heed-recommendations-hong-kongs-securities-watchdog?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3347554/hkex-should-heed-recommendations-hong-kongs-securities-watchdog?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 22:45:08 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu In late 2022, Syed Musheer Ahmed packed his bags and departed Hong Kong. The founder of fintech advisory firm FinStep Asia headed for Dubai, where he joined the founding team of the Gulf city’s new digital-asset regulator, Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). Like many in Hong Kong’s crypto scene at the time, Ahmed was drawn by the Middle East’s regulatory clarity – a stark contrast to the uncertainty and Covid-19 restrictions still lingering in his adopted home. “Dubai came up as a good... https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3347286/will-hong-kongs-regulatory-clarity-crypto-forge-path-global-hub-status?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3347286/will-hong-kongs-regulatory-clarity-crypto-forge-path-global-hub-status?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 04:00:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) has proposed the biggest overhaul of listing rules in almost a decade. China’s top stock exchange is looking ahead after regaining the global crown for initial public offerings last year following several lean years. To remain competitive, it needs to make its market more accessible to innovative firms seeking to raise capital. At the same time, the city must maintain its international reputation for financial probity and reliability. This means any... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3347120/hkexs-listing-reforms-will-boost-hong-kongs-competitiveness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3347120/hkexs-listing-reforms-will-boost-hong-kongs-competitiveness?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 22:45:08 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong’s market regulator will soon begin inspection of investment banks to assess their roles as sponsors of listing candidates, in its latest effort to uphold the quality of new listings amid a booming market. The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) said the inspection would focus on whether banks had complied with its January circular, which outlined expectations on staffing and quality controls when handling initial public offerings (IPOs) in Hong Kong. For example, the SFC expected... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347182/sfc-prepares-inspect-hong-kong-ipo-listing-sponsors-amid-quality-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347182/sfc-prepares-inspect-hong-kong-ipo-listing-sponsors-amid-quality-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 11:00:18 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s securities regulator on Wednesday recommended strengthening the stock exchange’s regulations to better protect investors following a review of 2024 compliance and enforcement cases. The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) submitted its findings after vetting listed companies’ internal control reviews, their handling of late auditor resignations and the processes of the Hong Kong stock exchange’s listing division. The regulator noted that while thestock exchange “had taken steps... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347076/hong-kong-securities-watchdog-urges-stock-exchange-tighten-listing-compliance-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347076/hong-kong-securities-watchdog-urges-stock-exchange-tighten-listing-compliance-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 14:50:51 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Hong Kong is a critical financial hub for China. Its reputation for market integrity is therefore paramount. If the city wants to remain a top centre for initial public offerings and corporate fundraising, it must command the confidence and trust of investors that it is a clean market. Insider trading and market manipulation at the cost of honest market players are poison to that goal. Investors can easily find other markets with which to entrust their money. So it is good to see evidence of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3346503/zero-tolerance-insider-trading-central-hong-kongs-financial-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3346503/zero-tolerance-insider-trading-central-hong-kongs-financial-future?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 23:15:09 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Arrests in a HK$315 million (US$40 million) insider dealing case underscore Hong Kong’s commitment to upholding the integrity of its stock market amid a surge in new listings and share placements, according to industry players. The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) on Thursday said it had arrested eight people after joining forces with the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) earlier this week to raid premises connected to a hedge fund and two securities firms. The joint... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3346394/hong-kong-insider-trading-arrests-send-very-strong-message-market-integrity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3346394/hong-kong-insider-trading-arrests-send-very-strong-message-market-integrity?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 23:00:10 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong’s anti-corruption agency arrested eight people after it joined forces with the market watchdog to raid 14 locations – including two securities firms and a hedge fund – in a two-day operation as part of insider-dealing cases worth HK$315 million (US$40 million), the two agencies said in separate statements on Thursday. The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) arrested six men and two women, aged between 35 and 60, including senior executives and a middleman, but did not... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346284/hong-kong-watchdog-detains-guotai-junan-employee-seizes-documents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346284/hong-kong-watchdog-detains-guotai-junan-employee-seizes-documents?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 01:47:51 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong will expand its tax exemptions for operators of family offices and funds set up by international organisations, such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), in line with efforts to promote the city as a wealth management hub, a minister told lawmakers on Monday. In a financial affairs panel meeting, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Christopher Hui Ching-yu, said the government would submit a bill to the Legislative Council within the first half of this... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3345119/hong-kong-expand-tax-exemptions-family-offices-aiib-and-pension-fund-investment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3345119/hong-kong-expand-tax-exemptions-family-offices-aiib-and-pension-fund-investment?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 08:21:20 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu HSBC, the largest lender in Europe and Hong Kong by assets, has signalled for the first time its intent to engage with the city’s forthcoming stablecoin regime, citing Hong Kong’s sound regulatory environment and its potential to drive innovation in the digital asset space. “We are interested in every part of Hong Kong’s innovation landscape, and we want to play a role in all of it,” CEO Georges Elhedery said in a small-group interview – in response to a question whether the bank had applied for... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3345047/hsbc-signals-intent-join-hong-kongs-stablecoin-regime-amid-digital-innovation-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3345047/hsbc-signals-intent-join-hong-kongs-stablecoin-regime-amid-digital-innovation-push?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 23:30:13 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has secured for the first time separate court orders in Hong Kong and the UK to freeze HK$4.3 million (US$552,948) in assets belonging to three alleged insider traders – including a former Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) staffer – who have left the city. The city’s Court of First Instance granted a worldwide interim injunction order against the trio – former HKEX listing division staffer Chan Ching-wa and his relatives Lam Cho-man and Chau... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3344502/sfc-moves-freeze-assets-3-insider-traders-who-have-left-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3344502/sfc-moves-freeze-assets-3-insider-traders-who-have-left-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 23:30:14 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The initial public offering (IPO) gravy train has been a great boost to the local financial industry. But given the high number of applicants for IPOs, due diligence sometimes takes a back seat in favour of speed, cost-saving and competition. Hong Kong has regained its title as the No 1 market for IPOs, so it’s all the more important that the highest listing standard is observed. The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has ordered 13 investment banks to review their listing application and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3343969/hong-kong-regulators-are-right-scrutinise-ipo-applications?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3343969/hong-kong-regulators-are-right-scrutinise-ipo-applications?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 23:15:08 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang This Lunar New Year, Hongkongers can gift friends and family digital gold tokens, a new way of blending the city’s tradition of giving gold for good wishes with the convenience of blockchain technology. HSBC added this new transfer feature earlier this month to its retail gold token, which represents fractional ownership of physical gold stored in a secure vault and is the only retail-focused gold token approved by Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission. The bank’s enhancement to its gold... https://www.scmp.com/business/cryptocurrency/article/3343695/what-tokenised-gold-and-why-are-financial-institutions-and-investors-looking-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/cryptocurrency/article/3343695/what-tokenised-gold-and-why-are-financial-institutions-and-investors-looking-it?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 02:00:17 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu In a makeshift boxing ring, two humanoids square off; one in blue headgear and gloves, the other in matching red. The spectacle might be run-of-the-mill for a robotics conference, but this was Consensus Hong Kong 2026, one of the largest events for the digital assets industry. Behind the human-controlled fighting humanoids was BitRobot, an embodied AI research network built on the Solana blockchain. Despite the bitcoin drawdown of recent weeks, the mood was upbeat. Consensus this year... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3343349/policy-products-web3-innovation-takes-centre-stage-consensus-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3343349/policy-products-web3-innovation-takes-centre-stage-consensus-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 13:00:14 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong’s market regulator has ordered 13 investment banks to review their listing application and staffing procedures after finding widespread deficiencies in initial public offering (IPO) submissions, amid a surge in deal activity. The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) found that many recent listing application documents contained “serious deficiencies”, potentially because some sponsors were handling too many deals without sufficient manpower or resources, its chief executive Julia... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342118/hong-kong-ipo-boom-strains-sponsors-regulator-steps-over-poor-applications?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342118/hong-kong-ipo-boom-strains-sponsors-regulator-steps-over-poor-applications?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 10:30:08 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) expects to work with other financial regulators to promote artificial intelligence adoption in various sectors over the next five years and further advance fintech development, according to the head of the city’s de facto central bank. Under the five-year plan called Fintech 2030 that starts this year, the HKMA would expand the scope of the city’s generative AI sandbox to include more industries as a step towards enhancing risk management, fraud detection... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3338531/hkma-talks-sfc-insurance-authority-promote-fintech-over-next-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3338531/hkma-talks-sfc-insurance-authority-promote-fintech-over-next-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 00:30:16 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong is expected to see a rise in bond issuance across multiple currencies in 2026, driven by rising demand for non-US dollar assets amid geopolitical tensions and government initiatives to strengthen the city’s capital markets, according to industry players. As part of efforts to promote the local bond market, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) launched a blueprint in September to expand yuan-linked products and widen the investor base... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3337865/hong-kong-bond-markets-yuan-issuance-expand-2026-under-hkma-sfc-road-map?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3337865/hong-kong-bond-markets-yuan-issuance-expand-2026-under-hkma-sfc-road-map?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 00:30:11 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang The rapid rise of tokenisation risks repeating China’s earlier boom-and-bust cycle in peer-to-peer lending unless clear industry standards are established to ensure discipline and innovation, according to a senior Chinese asset manager. Some multilevel marketing companies in mainland China have already started holding meetings discussing real-world asset (RWA) tokenisation projects over the past year, raising “genuine concerns” that the nascent industry might be heading towards a... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3334658/tokenisation-trend-risks-repeat-chinas-p2p-lending-crisis-asset-manager-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3334658/tokenisation-trend-risks-repeat-chinas-p2p-lending-crisis-asset-manager-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Nov 2025 23:30:12 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu It was rare to see hundreds of regulators, financiers and executives of listed companies – including chairmen and CEOs – come together in Central on Sunday morning without striking deals. Instead, they were taking part in a charity run, raising HK$9.7 million (US$1.2 million). The top bosses of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX), JPMorgan, DBS Hong Kong, Standard Chartered Bank, KPMG and Wharf (Holdings) were among those who had put on their running shoes to compete in relay races over 388... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3333749/jpmorgan-dbs-standard-chartered-bosses-swap-deals-sneakers-hkex-charity-run?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3333749/jpmorgan-dbs-standard-chartered-bosses-swap-deals-sneakers-hkex-charity-run?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Nov 2025 04:30:08 +0000 Derek Chan Derek Chan In Hong Kong and elsewhere, digital currencies, cryptocurrencies (including stablecoins) and virtual assets are gaining in popularity and are rapidly becoming a mainstream asset class, with retail investors increasingly buying into them. Here in the city, new and groundbreaking legislation has been introduced to implement a regulatory framework which specifically addresses virtual assets, cementing Hong Kong’s status as an innovative global financial hub. The incursion of cryptocurrencies and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3333455/how-hong-kongs-law-protects-those-drawn-crypto-and-virtual-asset-investments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3333455/how-hong-kongs-law-protects-those-drawn-crypto-and-virtual-asset-investments?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Nov 2025 01:30:26 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu The Hong Kong government has renewed the contract of Julia Leung Fung-yee as CEO of the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) to ensure consistent leadership while the market regulator carries out a raft of in-progress reforms. Confirming the Post’s report in October, the government said on Friday that Leung would stay in her job until at least December 31, 2027. “Over the next two years, her focus on strategic initiatives – particularly in data, talent and succession planning – will further... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3332818/hong-kong-government-renews-contract-top-market-regulator-julia-leung?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3332818/hong-kong-government-renews-contract-top-market-regulator-julia-leung?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 09:23:46 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang Artificial intelligence is becoming the Taylor Swift of the investment world – a force expected to deliver benefits to industries and consumers while rewarding investors, though money managers cautioned that not all companies will reap rewards. AI dominated discussions at Hong Kong’s flagship three-day Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit, which will return for its fifth edition next year from November 2 to 4. During the final day’s programme on Wednesday, a panel-discussion moderator... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3331634/ai-investment-worlds-taylor-swift-steals-show-hong-kong-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3331634/ai-investment-worlds-taylor-swift-steals-show-hong-kong-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 09:35:18 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Digital trading in Hong Kong has taken a step forward with the launch of the city’s first Luxembourg-registered tokenised money market fund by US asset manager Franklin Templeton, marking a major development under the Fintech 2030 plan unveiled this week to establish the city as a leading fintech hub. The Franklin OnChain US Government Money Fund, which invests in US government securities and was registered in Luxembourg last year, would be available to institutional and professional investors... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3331632/franklin-templeton-introduces-tokenised-money-market-fund-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3331632/franklin-templeton-introduces-tokenised-money-market-fund-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 09:31:53 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Hong Kong continues to ratchet up its cryptocurrency development efforts, as the city’s securities regulator fine-tunes rules to boost the liquidity of local digital-asset trading platforms. The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) said it would allow locally licensed digital-asset exchanges to integrate their order books with those of their affiliated platforms globally. “What we noticed is that through the creation of this close-loop environment, we are creating a pocket of liquidity only... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3331513/hong-kong-pushes-adjustments-digital-asset-rules-beijing-remains-cautious-crypto?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3331513/hong-kong-pushes-adjustments-digital-asset-rules-beijing-remains-cautious-crypto?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 12:00:24 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong’s market regulator is conducting a comprehensive review of the listing regime to attract more innovative companies, while also closely monitoring how firms use digital assets as part of their treasury operations, according to the chairman of the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC). “These ongoing reviews will promote the market development of Hong Kong while at the same time ensure sufficient investor protection is in place,” Kelvin Wong Tin-yau said in a media briefing on Tuesday.... https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3330778/hong-kong-watchdog-eyes-listing-reform-woo-tech-firms-flags-digital-asset-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3330778/hong-kong-watchdog-eyes-listing-reform-woo-tech-firms-flags-digital-asset-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 01:30:12 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong’s securities regulator has proposed sweeping rule changes to give retail investors broader access to private credit markets and allow fund managers greater flexibility in using derivatives – part of a push to align the city’s fund regime with global standards and enhance its competitiveness as an international financial hub. The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) on Wednesday launched a three-month public consultation on proposed amendments to the Code on Unit Trusts and Mutual... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3329958/sfc-reforms-boost-hong-kongs-fund-hub-status-new-rules-private-credit-derivatives?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3329958/sfc-reforms-boost-hong-kongs-fund-hub-status-new-rules-private-credit-derivatives?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Oct 2025 00:30:09 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Hong Kong has approved its first exchange-traded fund (ETF) that tracks the performance of the cryptocurrency token Solana, ahead of the US, as the city moves to cement its status as a digital asset hub. ChinaAMC (HK), the Hong Kong arm of Chinese fund manager China Asset Management, started accepting subscriptions for its new spot Solana ETF on Wednesday after receiving approval from the Securities and Futures Commission last week. The ETF, set to start trading on Monday, directly holds Solana... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3329969/hong-kong-approves-first-solana-etf-ahead-us-amid-moves-embrace-crypto?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3329969/hong-kong-approves-first-solana-etf-ahead-us-amid-moves-embrace-crypto?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Oct 2025 11:57:06 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) plans to launch the Hang Seng Biotech Index Futures next month, as offshore investors show heightened interest in mainland Chinese biopharmaceutical stocks listed in the city. The new futures contracts platform, which is expected to commence trading on November 28, aims to offer investors a risk management tool for “one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic sectors”, the exchange operator said on Tuesday. Built on the Hang Seng Biotech Index, the... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3328946/hkexs-new-hang-seng-biotech-index-futures-debut-next-month?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3328946/hkexs-new-hang-seng-biotech-index-futures-debut-next-month?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Oct 2025 11:00:13 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu The Hong Kong government is expected to renew the contract of Julia Leung Fung-yee as the CEO of the market regulator Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) for another two years, according to two separate sources. Leung, a former journalist at The Asian Wall Street Journal, started her term as the first female head of the SFC in January 2023. Her current three-year term will expire at the end of this year, but sources familiar with the matter said the government would like her to serve another... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3328137/hong-kong-renew-contract-sfc-ceo-julia-leung-another-two-years-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3328137/hong-kong-renew-contract-sfc-ceo-julia-leung-another-two-years-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Oct 2025 11:00:11 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong plans to implement a new round of stock exchange reforms to allow small and diverse companies with multiple voting rights to raise funds, according to a senior government official. “The 2018 reforms paved the way for companies with weighted voting rights to list in Hong Kong, which has been very successful,” said Salina Yan Mei-mei, Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, on Monday. “Some people might think the scheme does not require any changes, but there is... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3328005/hong-kong-working-reforms-bring-small-diverse-companies-stock-exchange?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3328005/hong-kong-working-reforms-bring-small-diverse-companies-stock-exchange?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Oct 2025 08:59:18 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong insurance companies and brokers from Wednesday are barred from paying excessive referral fees to unlicensed individuals, as the city’s insurance regulator bolsters efforts to curb misconduct and enhance customer protection. The city’s Insurance Authority has put a 50 per cent cap on commissions for referral fees in life insurance policies, a move that provides long-term life protection and dividends to policyholders, according to the regulator’s circular. The cap will not cover... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3327432/hong-kong-regulator-puts-50-cap-referral-fees-insurance-sales?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3327432/hong-kong-regulator-puts-50-cap-referral-fees-insurance-sales?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Oct 2025 05:00:10 +0000 Reuters Reuters China’s securities watchdog has advised some local brokerages to pause their real-world asset (RWA) tokenisation business in Hong Kong, said two sources, signalling Beijing’s concerns about a euphoric drive towards a booming digital assets market offshore. The RWA tokenisation process usually converts traditional assets, such as stocks, bonds, funds and even real estate, into digital tokens traded on a blockchain. A raft of Chinese firms, including brokerages, have launched RWAs in Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3326518/chinas-brokerages-told-pause-rwa-tokenisation-business-hong-kong-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3326518/chinas-brokerages-told-pause-rwa-tokenisation-business-hong-kong-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Sep 2025 07:37:17 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang Companies in Hong Kong moved swiftly on Monday to take advantage of a new Swap Connect rule that lets them hedge using China’s onshore loan prime rate (LPR), as demand rises to manage yuan interest-rate risks. The measure, which was introduced by mainland China and Hong Kong regulators in May and went live on Monday, is part of a drive to expand product offerings under Swap Connect. Launched in Hong Kong in 2023, Swap Connect allows global investors to access mainland China’s interbank financial... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3326365/hong-kong-firms-tap-new-swap-connect-rule-hedge-yuan-rate-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3326365/hong-kong-firms-tap-new-swap-connect-rule-hedge-yuan-rate-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Sep 2025 07:30:06 +0000 Salina Li Salina Li HSBC has opened its first wealth management centre in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – the first step of its biggest investment in the international wealth and premier banking business in two decades – to tap the growing investment appetite of affluent investors in the Middle East, according to a top banker. The bank’s 24,000 sq ft wealth centre started operations in Dubai on Tuesday, where some 90 relationship managers will cater to the investment needs of high-net-worth individuals in the UAE.... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3326294/hsbc-opens-first-middle-east-wealth-hub-dubai-tap-booming-uae-investment-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3326294/hsbc-opens-first-middle-east-wealth-hub-dubai-tap-booming-uae-investment-market?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Sep 2025 23:30:15 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Sales of non-listed investment products soared to a record last year in Hong Kong, as capital poured into mutual funds, debt and equity-lined financial products amid improving market sentiments, underscoring the city’s growth as a financial hub. Sales increased by 40 per cent from 2023 to a record HK$6.07 trillion (US$778.3 billion), according to a survey released on Thursday by the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA). As many as 1.2 million... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3324366/hong-kongs-financial-market-booms-stocks-rally-fuels-sales-funds-bonds-and-others?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3324366/hong-kongs-financial-market-booms-stocks-rally-fuels-sales-funds-bonds-and-others?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Sep 2025 10:34:06 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen OSL Group, operator of Hong Kong’s first listed and licensed virtual asset trading platform, on Wednesday also became the first exchange in the city to support professional trading of BNB, the cryptocurrency backed by Binance founder Zhao Changpeng. Trading of BNB on OSL was strictly limited to institutional investors with a portfolio of at least HK$8 million (US$1.02 million), who are allowed to trade the token with US dollars as well as the world’s two largest stablecoins, USDT and USDC. In a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3324218/hong-kong-crypto-exchange-osl-starts-institutional-trading-binance-backed-bnb-tokens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3324218/hong-kong-crypto-exchange-osl-starts-institutional-trading-binance-backed-bnb-tokens?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Sep 2025 11:42:48 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Yunfeng Financial Group, backed by Alibaba Group Holding founder Jack Ma, said it was investing in the cryptocurrency ether as part of its reserve assets, as the company expands into Web3 amid Hong Kong’s digital asset initiative. To date, Hong Kong-listed Yunfeng has invested US$44 million to acquire 10,000 ether for its “strategic reserve”, according to an exchange filing on Tuesday. Ether would provide “key infrastructure support” for real-world asset (RWA) tokenisation activities, Yunfeng... https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3324137/yunfeng-financial-invests-us44-million-ether-amid-hong-kongs-virtual-asset-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3324137/yunfeng-financial-invests-us44-million-ether-amid-hong-kongs-virtual-asset-push?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Sep 2025 05:01:06 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren HSBC Holdings has been fined HK$4.2 million (US$538,423) for violating disclosure requirements involving public companies and new listing applicants over an eight-year period, the Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) said on Tuesday. The regulator said that the bank was also reprimanded because it failed to disclose its investment banking relationships with companies covered in some of its research reports between 2013 and 2021. “The SFC is of the opinion that HSBC is guilty of... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3323236/sfc-fines-banking-giant-hsbc-breaching-disclosure-requirements-over-8-year-period?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3323236/sfc-fines-banking-giant-hsbc-breaching-disclosure-requirements-over-8-year-period?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Aug 2025 13:02:53 +0000 Victor Dawes Victor Dawes Much has been written about cryptocurrencies in the past few weeks as a result of the Genius Act and the market trend. Share prices of listed companies in related businesses have appreciated very significantly in both the US and Hong Kong. The trend appears unstoppable. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expects the stablecoin market alone to grow tenfold over the next few years from US$200 billion to US$2 trillion. While cryptocurrencies present new opportunities for investors, it is generally... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3320191/crypto-frenzy-and-legal-response-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3320191/crypto-frenzy-and-legal-response-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Jul 2025 01:30:13 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong strengthened its position as a leading global wealth management hub after investors committed major capital to the city last year, lifting assets under management to HK$35.14 trillion (US$4.5 trillion), just shy of an all-time high, before stocks and other instruments delivered hefty gains. Assets under management in the city grew almost HK$4 trillion in 2024, or 13 per cent from a year earlier, the Securities and Futures Commission said in an annual survey published on Wednesday,... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3318444/hong-kongs-asset-management-industry-hits-near-record-us45-trillion-massive-inflows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3318444/hong-kongs-asset-management-industry-hits-near-record-us45-trillion-massive-inflows?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Jul 2025 09:36:27 +0000 Josiah Ng Josiah Ng Tech – particularly that from mainland China – is currently the cornerstone of Hong Kong’s IPO market. Professional services company EY reported that a majority of the 10 biggest IPOs on the Hong Kong stock exchange (HKEX) in 2024 were tech firms. On June 12, it shared that for the first half of 2025, A-share deals and proceeds increased 14 per cent year-on-year, with large IPOs propelling Hong Kong to world-leading IPO proceeds of US$14 billion. “The surge is largely driven by substantial... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3317382/how-hong-kong-stock-exchange-has-simplified-ipo-process?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3317382/how-hong-kong-stock-exchange-has-simplified-ipo-process?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jul 2025 22:15:07 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang China expanded the scope of investors to include more mainland-based financial groups under the eight-year-old Bond Connect programme, taking a significant step to ease capital-flow restrictions and further establish Hong Kong as an international financial centre. Securities firms, fund managers, insurers and wealth management companies would be allowed to invest in offshore bonds through the southbound channel of the scheme from Tuesday, according to authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong. Only... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3317339/china-expands-bond-connect-allowing-more-players-join-banks-offshore-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3317339/china-expands-bond-connect-allowing-more-players-join-banks-offshore-market?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jul 2025 06:06:15 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov Hong Kong could benefit from Singapore’s recent move to oust unlicensed cryptocurrency companies, according to analysts, potentially leading to a significant injection of liquidity. On May 30, the Monetary Authority of Singapore instructed cryptocurrency firms incorporated in the city and offering services abroad to acquire a licence or leave the country. Singapore’s central bank subsequently set a June 30 deadline for crypto service providers in the city state to stop offering digital token... https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3316909/singapores-crypto-crackdown-unlicensed-exchanges-could-drive-liquidity-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3316909/singapores-crypto-crackdown-unlicensed-exchanges-could-drive-liquidity-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Jul 2025 05:00:08 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) has launched an order-routing service on its fund platform as part of its move to diversify its business and support the government’s ambition to strengthen the city as an international wealth management centre. “This centralised platform will connect participants of all sizes across the fund value chain, fostering greater collaboration and elevating operational efficiencies for the fund distribution industry,” CEO Bonnie Chan Yiting said at a ceremony to... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3316825/hkex-launches-order-routing-service-enhance-mutual-fund-distribution-ecosystem?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3316825/hkex-launches-order-routing-service-enhance-mutual-fund-distribution-ecosystem?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Jul 2025 09:53:57 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu More than a decade after Club Bboss was closed, a new nightspot has launched on the same site where the once-glamorous establishment operated for 28 years, with the goal of attracting tourists and young revellers eager for a glimpse of Hong Kong’s 1980s clubbing heyday. The new spot – known as Big Boss Generation (BBG) – opened for business on Saturday in the old club’s 56,000 sq ft site at the New Mandarin Plaza in Tsim Sha Tsui East. It will use the former occupant’s old Chinese name, which... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3314464/hong-kongs-1980s-nightlife-culture-makes-dazzling-return-site-old-club-bboss?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3314464/hong-kongs-1980s-nightlife-culture-makes-dazzling-return-site-old-club-bboss?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Jun 2025 11:56:01 +0000 John Park John Park Hong Kong’s stablecoin bill passed with little fanfare recently. Yet across Asia’s financial centres, the legislation has focused minds. The city has quietly created the region’s first mandatory licensing regime for digital currencies, a strategic gambit to retain its position as Asia’s financial capital. The new law, overseen by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), applies to any stablecoin pegged to the Hong Kong dollar or issued locally. It requires one-to-one reserve backing, a minimum... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3313431/why-hong-kongs-stablecoin-law-smart-financial-move?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3313431/why-hong-kongs-stablecoin-law-smart-financial-move?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Jun 2025 08:30:07 +0000