https://www.scmp.com/rss/37756/feed Standard Chartered is one of Hong Kong's biggest banks. Its name is derived from the two banks from which it was formed in a merger in 1969: The Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China, and Standard Bank of British South Africa. Its headquarters are located in London. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Richard Lord Richard Lord By 2060, old-age to work-age ratios will double and 20 per cent of the population will be aged 65 or older, according to OECD predictions. The prospect of fewer young people to care for increasing numbers of elderly in their retirement makes financial planning and healthcare increasingly paramount concerns. “Chronic diseases are getting more prevalent and the age of onset is getting younger,” says Dr Shiba Poon, a general practitioner with OT&P Healthcare. “The majority of non-communicable... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/special-reports/topics/wealth-healthcare/article/3352859/how-longevity-healthcare-reshaping-physical-mental-and-financial-resilience?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/special-reports/topics/wealth-healthcare/article/3352859/how-longevity-healthcare-reshaping-physical-mental-and-financial-resilience?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 22:00:17 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Gold bars, cruises, Dior beauty services and Rosewood Hong Kong vouchers are just some of the incentives Hong Kong’s major lenders are offering in hopes of capturing wealthy clients, as visitors from mainland China descend on the city during the golden week holiday starting on Friday. HSBC, Standard Chartered and Bank of China (Hong Kong) – the city’s three biggest banks – Citigroup, DBS Hong Kong, ICBC Asia, Bank of East Asia and Hang Seng Bank have all extended the hours of certain branches on... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3352097/gold-cruises-and-dior-how-hong-kong-lenders-are-enticing-wealthy-mainland-china-visitors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3352097/gold-cruises-and-dior-how-hong-kong-lenders-are-enticing-wealthy-mainland-china-visitors?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 05:30:07 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Standard Chartered’s first-quarter profit rose 19 per cent as it achieved strong wealth-management performance, which was offset by lower interest rates and rising bad debt provisions due to the Middle East conflicts. Net profit increased 19 per cent year on year in the first three months of 2026 to US$1.9 billion, or 74.2 US cents per share, from US$1.59 billion a year earlier, the bank said on Thursday. The result was better than analysts’ estimates of US$1.33 billion. The bank’s pre-tax... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3351966/stanchart-profit-rises-19-wealth-management-offsets-lower-rates-and-rising-bad-loans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3351966/stanchart-profit-rises-19-wealth-management-offsets-lower-rates-and-rising-bad-loans?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 06:35:33 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong’s monetary authority warned of interest-rate uncertainty amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East, after leaving its base rate unchanged on Thursday in tandem with the US Federal Reserve. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) said US interest-rate movements were affected by the Middle East tensions, which had led to higher oil prices and affected US inflation. Analysts said the inflationary impact of the US-Israel war with Iran had reduced the chances of a rate cut this year. “The... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3351921/hkma-holds-base-interest-rate-4-following-fed-war-inflation-worries-persist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3351921/hkma-holds-base-interest-rate-4-following-fed-war-inflation-worries-persist?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 23:27:32 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) has issued HK$19 billion (US$2.4 billion) of multi-tranche senior notes, the largest Hong Kong dollar-denominated bond offering to date, drawing nearly three times oversubscription. The success of the offering reinforces the Hong Kong dollar’s position as a reliable funding currency and the city’s role as a fixed income and currency hub, according to bankers. The notes were “well received” by investors including sovereign wealth funds, asset managers,... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3351882/hong-kong-airport-authority-issues-record-hk19b-bond-issue-amid-strong-investor-demand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3351882/hong-kong-airport-authority-issues-record-hk19b-bond-issue-amid-strong-investor-demand?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 11:28:06 +0000 SCMP Reporter SCMP Reporter Monday night saw the unveiling of the 100 Top Tables Guide 2026, published by the South China Morning Post (SCMP). Now in its 14th year, the publication is an annual independent guide to the best fine dining restaurants and bars in Hong Kong, Macau and the wider Greater Bay Area (GBA), as judged by the SCMP’s dedicated food writers. The new edition features 100 Hong Kong restaurants, 25 distinguished Macau establishments, 10 outstanding restaurants from the GBA, and 25 of the most noteworthy... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3351822/best-restaurants-and-bars-hong-kong-macau-and-gba-revealed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3351822/best-restaurants-and-bars-hong-kong-macau-and-gba-revealed?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 07:58:06 +0000 Kun Tian Kun Tian The most revealing fact about Hong Kong’s stablecoin launch is not that licences were issued. It is who got them, and who did not. By handing the first approvals to HSBC and the Standard Chartered-led joint venture Anchorpoint Financial, regulators made clear from the start that digital money in Hong Kong will be bank-led. That choice matters because Hong Kong is not trying to become Asia’s easiest venue for cryptocurrency experimentation. Rather, it is trying to become the most credible place... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3350356/what-hong-kongs-conservative-stablecoin-licence-roll-out-reveals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3350356/what-hong-kongs-conservative-stablecoin-licence-roll-out-reveals?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 22:30:08 +0000 Yeon Woo Lee Yeon Woo Lee Hong Kong is better placed than many of its Asian peers to turn stablecoins into commercially viable products at scale, underpinned by its early lead in tokenisation and growing experience in moving financial infrastructure on-chain, according to HSBC’s head of digital assets research. “Hong Kong already has examples of deploying the technology and can now look towards commercial applications and scaling,” said Daragh Maher, HSBC’s head of digital assets research, in an interview on the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3350498/hong-kong-seen-leading-asia-push-scale-stablecoins-hsbc-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3350498/hong-kong-seen-leading-asia-push-scale-stablecoins-hsbc-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 02:30:11 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Geopolitical tensions are expected to further drive fundraising demand in the mining sector amid a commodities “supercycle”, although concerns over national security could complicate dealmaking, according to industry experts. Johnson Chui, head of global issuer services at Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX), said 2025 had been an inflection point. Mining and metals companies had become a key driver in the capital market as rising commodity prices, triggered by the energy transition and... https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3350334/geopolitics-further-fuel-hong-kong-mining-fundraising-amid-supercycle-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3350334/geopolitics-further-fuel-hong-kong-mining-fundraising-amid-supercycle-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:00:11 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu For Hong Kong’s 3.3 million PayMe users, everyday transactions such as buying coffee or splitting bills with friends could soon involve stablecoins, with HSBC preparing to introduce the digital currency in the second half of this year. That comes after HSBC Holdings, together with a Standard Chartered-led joint venture, became the first to obtain a stablecoin issuer licence from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority on Friday, marking a breakthrough in the city’s digital finance development. HSBC,... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350089/how-paymes-33-million-users-and-hong-kong-firms-could-start-using-stablecoins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3350089/how-paymes-33-million-users-and-hong-kong-firms-could-start-using-stablecoins?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:37 +0000 Denise Tsang Denise Tsang Hong Kong has struck a balance between financial security and innovation in its strategic roles as a “testing ground” and “firewall” for the nation’s reform and opening up, the city’s finance chief has said. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Sunday that security was core to the goal of achieving high-quality development as geopolitical tensions created risks in global financial markets and energy supplies. As Hong Kong rolled out the first batch of stablecoin licences last week, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349786/hong-kong-balancing-financial-security-innovation-nations-firewall-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349786/hong-kong-balancing-financial-security-innovation-nations-firewall-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 07:41:09 +0000 Daniel Ren,Enoch Yiu Daniel Ren,Enoch Yiu The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) is being urged to go further in loosening restrictions on stablecoins, after granting the city’s first two licences to banks to issue the digital currency. Bankers, venture capitalists and analysts said the long-awaited approvals – awarded to HSBC and a joint venture led by Standard Chartered – fell short of market expectations, underscoring the regulator’s cautious stance amid lingering risk concerns. “It came as a surprise that only two licences were... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349742/hong-kong-regulator-urged-expand-stablecoin-rules-after-cautious-roll-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349742/hong-kong-regulator-urged-expand-stablecoin-rules-after-cautious-roll-out?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 09:10:21 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu HSBC and a joint venture led by Standard Chartered have been awarded Hong Kong’s first stablecoin issuer licences, marking the city’s latest step towards embracing cryptocurrency’s most-traded cash substitute in its bid to become a global digital asset hub. Eight months after Hong Kong’s Stablecoin Ordinance, one of the world’s first such laws, took effect, HSBC and Anchorpoint Financial, the Standard Chartered-led group, received the green light from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) on... https://www.scmp.com/business/cryptocurrency/article/3349644/hong-kong-awards-stablecoin-licences-hsbc-stanchart-led-group-long-awaited-roll-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/cryptocurrency/article/3349644/hong-kong-awards-stablecoin-licences-hsbc-stanchart-led-group-long-awaited-roll-out?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 09:09:55 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu More companies are using Hong Kong as a platform to tap yuan funds to finance their operations, thanks to the city’s active capital market and a new 200 billion yuan (US$28.68 billion) liquidity facility that provides steady, cheap yuan funding, according to a Standard Chartered report on Wednesday. Among companies that have yuan exposure, about 24 per cent said they would like to increase yuan financing over the next three years, according to Standard Chartered, citing the results of a survey... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349396/more-global-firms-eye-hong-kong-cheaper-yuan-loans-bonds-stanchart?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3349396/more-global-firms-eye-hong-kong-cheaper-yuan-loans-bonds-stanchart?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 10:30:47 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Better safe than sorry – that seems to be why authorities have delayed the stablecoin roll-out. Industry players had expected the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), the city’s de facto central bank, to announce the granting of a small number of stablecoin licences at the end of March. But the date came and went. The regulatory review process appears to be taking longer, given the regulators’ well-known cautious stance. But the policy – to make Hong Kong a digital-asset hub with stablecoins... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3348924/stablecoin-launch-delay-shows-hong-kong-would-rather-be-safe-sorry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3348924/stablecoin-launch-delay-shows-hong-kong-would-rather-be-safe-sorry?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 23:15:16 +0000 Julie Zhang,Enoch Yiu Julie Zhang,Enoch Yiu Hong Kong’s highly anticipated first batch of stablecoin licences did not materialise as expected by the end of March. Industry players said the delay may be caused by a slower-than-expected review process, adding that it could also be due to the regulators’ cautious stance towards launching the first batch of regulated stablecoin licences as the city seeks to cement its status as a digital-asset hub. “I don’t think [the delay] is caused by the market,” said Jack Poon, a member of the task force... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348492/hong-kongs-anticipated-stablecoin-licence-end-march-does-not-materialise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348492/hong-kongs-anticipated-stablecoin-licence-end-march-does-not-materialise?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has warned the public to beware of interest rate risks after it kept its base rate unchanged, following a similar move by the US Federal Reserve, as the city’s de facto central bank said the Middle East conflict has added to the uncertainty over the pace of rate cuts this year. HKMA maintained the city’s base rate at 4 per cent on Thursday. Hours earlier, the Fed kept its target rate in the range of 3.5 per cent to 3.75 per cent, after the second meeting... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347088/hong-kong-follows-federal-reserve-keep-base-rate-unchanged-amid-middle-east-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347088/hong-kong-follows-federal-reserve-keep-base-rate-unchanged-amid-middle-east-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 23:16:04 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang HSBC and a joint venture led by Standard Chartered are expected to be among the first companies to obtain Hong Kong’s stablecoin licences within two weeks, according to people familiar with the matter. The number of licences and timetable had yet to be finalised and remained subject to change, but sources said a possible date was March 24. The two banks declined to comment. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) last month revealed that a small number of stablecoin licences would be granted... https://www.scmp.com/business/cryptocurrency/article/3346311/hong-kong-poised-grant-first-stablecoin-licences-hsbc-standard-chartered-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/cryptocurrency/article/3346311/hong-kong-poised-grant-first-stablecoin-licences-hsbc-standard-chartered-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 09:00:08 +0000 Aileen Chuang,Enoch Yiu Aileen Chuang,Enoch Yiu HSBC Holdings and its subsidiary Hang Seng Bank are phasing out their remote-work flexibility as they tighten their post-pandemic policy in Hong Kong, requiring frontline employees to be in the office or meet clients five days a week. In an internal memo seen by the South China Morning Post, HSBC, the city’s largest bank, asked client-facing staff, including traders and salespeople, to follow the new rules from April 1. Sources said Hang Seng Bank would follow the same rules. Managing directors... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346083/hsbc-phases-out-work-home-flexibility-frontline-staff-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346083/hsbc-phases-out-work-home-flexibility-frontline-staff-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 07:44:31 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong lenders have only “insignificant” exposure to the Middle East, the city’s banking regulator said, although analysts expect escalating tensions in the region could slow local banks’ expansion plans in the near term. “The exposures of the Hong Kong banking sector to the Middle East are insignificant,” a spokeswoman for the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) said in response to an inquiry from the South China Morning Post. “The HKMA does not comment on market rumours,” she added,... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3345550/hong-kong-banks-face-limited-middle-east-risk-tensions-cloud-expansion-plans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3345550/hong-kong-banks-face-limited-middle-east-risk-tensions-cloud-expansion-plans?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:30:27 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Standard Chartered Bank, one of Hong Kong’s three note-issuing banks, reported a 16 per cent profit jump for 2025, as strong wealth management growth helped it weather rising bad debt from the city’s commercial real estate slump. The London-based bank, which generates much of its revenue from Asia, reported an underlying pre-tax profit of US$7.9 billion last year, compared with US$6.8 billion in 2024, according to a stock exchange filing on Tuesday. This matched analysts’ estimate of US$7.9... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3344411/standard-chartereds-2025-profit-jumps-16-buoyed-robust-wealth-management-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3344411/standard-chartereds-2025-profit-jumps-16-buoyed-robust-wealth-management-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 04:47:55 +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 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Gold, mahjong sets, fancy lai see packets and dinners with fireworks views are among the incentives Hong Kong banks are using to lure wealthy customers from the city and the mainland during the Lunar New Year, which kicks off on Tuesday. Hong Kong authorities estimated that as many as 1.43 million mainland visitors would cross the border during the holiday period, up 6 per cent from a year earlier. The Year of the Horse begins on Tuesday, but the mainland holiday started on Sunday and ends on... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3343663/hong-kong-banks-lure-wealthy-clients-gold-mahjong-sets-fireworks-during-holiday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3343663/hong-kong-banks-lure-wealthy-clients-gold-mahjong-sets-fireworks-during-holiday?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 05:00:09 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng As the cryptocurrency market faces mounting pressure, Standard Chartered on Thursday cut its forecast for bitcoin, flagging a further drop to US$50,000 before the world’s largest cryptocurrency stabilises. The digital currency was trading at around US$66,300 at 1pm Hong Kong time on Friday, a decline of nearly 50 per cent from a historical high of US$126,000 in October. Ether slid slightly to US$1,940 at 1pm on Friday. The world’s second-largest digital token has lost 60 per cent of its value... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3343504/standard-chartered-expects-bitcoin-slump-us50000-mounting-comeback?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3343504/standard-chartered-expects-bitcoin-slump-us50000-mounting-comeback?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 10:27:45 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Beijing’s push to internationalise the yuan is gaining a new vehicle in Africa as another major multilateral lender is set to diversify towards the Chinese currency to slash borrowing costs and reduce the risks of dollar volatility. Multilateral lender Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has confirmed that a debut panda bond issuance is “on the table for this year”, as it looks to deepen its ties with Chinese capital markets following last year’s successful triple-A Chinese rating. Banji Fehintola,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343347/africas-yuan-pivot-why-more-top-lenders-are-eyeing-chinas-bond-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343347/africas-yuan-pivot-why-more-top-lenders-are-eyeing-chinas-bond-market?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 04:00:14 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong’s retail banks posted 7.3 per cent pre-tax profit growth last year, as rising bad debts and a narrower net interest margin offset growing income from wealth-management services. The city’s 30 retail banks recorded lower growth in aggregated pre-tax profit than in 2024, when profits increased 8.4 per cent, according to data from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA). The annual growth was much slower than the 62 per cent jump in 2023, when the city had just reopened the border with... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3343311/hong-kong-banks-profit-growth-slows-rising-bad-debts-offset-wealth-management-income?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3343311/hong-kong-banks-profit-growth-slows-rising-bad-debts-offset-wealth-management-income?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 08:31:24 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong’s de facto central bank has warned the public to beware of interest rate uncertainties this year after leaving its base rate unchanged, following a similar move overnight by the US Federal Reserve, leaving borrowers in the city with a longer wait for funding costs to fall. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced its decision to keep the city’s base rate at 4 per cent on Thursday morning. Hours earlier, the Fed also kept its target rate in the range of 3.5 per cent to 3.75 per... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3341602/hkma-follows-federal-reserve-keep-interest-rate-unchanged?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3341602/hkma-follows-federal-reserve-keep-interest-rate-unchanged?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 23:07:07 +0000 SCMP Reporter SCMP Reporter Are your loved ones in luck this year? See our predictions for all the zodiac signs in the Year of the Horse. As the city prepares to welcome the Year of the Horse, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has coordinated with the three local note-issuing banks to ensure residents have access to crisp banknotes for the traditional exchanging of red packets. From February 3 to February 16, specific branches of HSBC, Standard Chartered and Bank of China (Hong Kong) will provide both brand-new and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3341478/reservations-now-open-new-banknotes-year-horse-2026-red-packets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3341478/reservations-now-open-new-banknotes-year-horse-2026-red-packets?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 10:15:07 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung Eat this Cristal Room by Anne-Sophie Pic x Qu Lang Yuan Anne-Sophie Pic’s Hong Kong outpost welcomes Beijing talent Li Zhanxu of Qu Lang Yuan for a two-night residency on Monday and Tuesday. Li, whose home restaurant is housed in a serene courtyard in the capital’s historic Dongsi Hutong, brings a poetic Franco-Chinese dialogue to Pic’s harbourfront establishment. Expect a seamless meld of techniques: Pic’s signature comté berlingots are receiving an oolong infusion while Alsatian venison is... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3339304/our-cheat-sheet-what-do-hong-kong-january-11-17?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3339304/our-cheat-sheet-what-do-hong-kong-january-11-17?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Jan 2026 05:00:11 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu The US Federal Reserve under a new chairman in 2026 is expected to press ahead with interest rate cuts of up to 75 basis points, a move that would lower Hong Kong’s interbank-linked loan costs but leave prime lending rates stuck at their historical low, according to analysts. The Fed and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) both reduced their key policy rates by a total of 75 basis points in 2025, following a full percentage-point rate cut in 2024. Hong Kong’s base rate now stands at 4 per... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3337042/hong-kong-interbank-rates-forecast-drop-expected-us-monetary-easing-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3337042/hong-kong-interbank-rates-forecast-drop-expected-us-monetary-easing-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 23:00:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Cryptocurrencies tumbled on Thursday and bitcoin fell back below the US$90,000 threshold in a renewed signal of market jitters, as fresh concerns about artificial intelligence profits weighed on technology stocks. Risk sentiment turned sour after US cloud firm Oracle’s profit and revenue outlook missed forecasts and executives flagged higher spending – a sign that AI infrastructure outlays are not turning profits as quickly as investors had hoped. Bitcoin was last down 2.5 per cent at... https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3336042/bitcoin-drops-below-us90000-ai-worries-sour-risk-appetite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3336042/bitcoin-drops-below-us90000-ai-worries-sour-risk-appetite?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Dec 2025 08:03:27 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu About 30 Hong Kong-based insurance companies, including AIA and Manulife, have issued 7,600 life insurance and 1,100 property policies to policyholders listed as residing at Wang Fuk Court, according to the Insurance Authority. Insurance Authority CEO Clement Cheung Wan-ching said the authority had set up a special task force, led by senior executives, to urge all insurers to identify policyholders affected by the blaze at Wang Fuk Court last week that killed 159 people, injured 79 and left an... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3335091/hong-kong-insurers-identify-8700-life-and-property-policies-owned-tai-po-fire-victims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3335091/hong-kong-insurers-identify-8700-life-and-property-policies-owned-tai-po-fire-victims?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2025 12:25:12 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang Hong Kong dollar bond issuance is poised to expand, following a record run of offerings, as easing local interest rates attract more issuers while a global diversification trend persists, according to analysts. Total issuance in the city’s currency reached a record HK$331 billion (US$42.6 billion) so far this year, nearly 37 per cent higher than 2024’s full-year total of HK$242 billion. “The Hong Kong dollar bond market will continue to grow over the long term, supported by structural shifts,”... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3334467/surge-hong-kong-dollar-bonds-continue-after-record-us42-billion-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3334467/surge-hong-kong-dollar-bonds-continue-after-record-us42-billion-year?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Nov 2025 05:35:52 +0000 Reuters Reuters A Singapore court has cleared the way for a US$2.7 billion lawsuit against Standard Chartered Bank over its alleged role in 1MDB fraud, liquidators seeking to recover the funds said on Monday. Singapore High Court dismissed an application by the bank to strike out a suit filed against it by liquidators, the liquidators said in a press release, calling it “a significant legal victory” allowing the case to continue. Liquidators trying to recover money from Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund 1MDB... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3333965/singapore-court-approves-us27-billion-1mdb-suit-against-standard-chartered?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3333965/singapore-court-approves-us27-billion-1mdb-suit-against-standard-chartered?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Nov 2025 10:36:53 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang Hong Kong’s push to establish a tokenised financial system is poised to attract more companies to set up treasury centres in the city, which would give investors broader options while reducing transaction costs, according to market players. Both corporations and individuals stood to benefit from increased tokenisation of money and assets, which could make financial services faster and more efficient and accessible, said representatives from Standard Chartered, China Asset Management (Hong Kong)... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3333790/hong-kongs-tokenisation-drive-set-boost-treasury-centres-and-investments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3333790/hong-kongs-tokenisation-drive-set-boost-treasury-centres-and-investments?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Nov 2025 00:30:14 +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 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang China’s €4 billion (US$4.6 billion) euro-denominated bond sale has drawn record demand, highlighting robust investor confidence in its sovereign assets amid a global shift towards diversification. International and regional investors placed €100.1 billion in orders for the offering – 25 times the fundraising target – China’s Ministry of Finance said in a statement on Wednesday. The seven-year tranche, issued alongside an equal-sized four-year tranche, attracted demand 26.5 times its allocation,... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3333441/chinas-euro-bond-sale-sees-record-demand-signals-strong-investor-confidence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3333441/chinas-euro-bond-sale-sees-record-demand-signals-strong-investor-confidence?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 12:53:25 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Chinese companies expanding overseas are increasingly using the yuan for financing and payments to build their international operations, boosting the currency’s growing clout in international trade and investment. “Based on my calculation, 10 per cent of our company’s total orders were priced and settled in renminbi,” said Yang Feng, finance director for overseas marketing at Sieyuan Electric, in a panel discussion organised by Standard Chartered at the China International Import Expo in... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3333034/yuan-rapidly-gaining-ground-chinese-firms-plot-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3333034/yuan-rapidly-gaining-ground-chinese-firms-plot-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 06:38:44 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang Standard Chartered is targeting the growing number of Chinese individuals living, working and starting businesses in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as part of a push to expand its wealth-management business. “We now bank an increasing number of Asian clients, specifically Chinese families, in the UAE,” said Judy Hsu, the bank’s CEO of wealth and retail banking, in an exclusive interview. “It has become a growing hub for people who come and work, set up family offices and start their... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3332677/standard-chartered-tailors-uae-offerings-serve-wealthy-chinese-residents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3332677/standard-chartered-tailors-uae-offerings-serve-wealthy-chinese-residents?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 00:30:12 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang Hong Kong’s de facto central bank has begun facilitating real-value transactions using tokenised deposits and digital assets under a controlled pilot programme from Thursday, reinforcing the city’s status as a fintech hub. The new phase of the Project Ensemble sandbox would enable seven commercial banks and 13 industry participants to settle tokenised transactions “faster, more transparently and efficiently”, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) said in a press release on Thursday. The... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3332625/hong-kong-moves-theory-practice-real-value-tokenised-money-asset-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3332625/hong-kong-moves-theory-practice-real-value-tokenised-money-asset-deals?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 10:00:58 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang Standard Chartered is positioning Hong Kong as the centre of its digital finance ambitions as it seeks higher returns and prepares for a blockchain-driven future, according to CEO Bill Winters. In a recent interview in Hong Kong, Winters highlighted the city’s pioneering regulatory framework, which he said fostered experimentation with blockchain technology – an innovation that could add value to the financial sector. Winters praised the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) for its various pilot... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3331949/standard-chartered-ceo-hong-kong-central-banks-digital-finance-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3331949/standard-chartered-ceo-hong-kong-central-banks-digital-finance-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 00:30:10 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong property deals surged to a three-month high in October, a month after the US Federal Reserve and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) loosened monetary policies again this year since a pause that began in December. Sales of new and second-hand homes – as well as office units, shops, industrial properties and parking spaces – rose 4.7 per cent to 7,190 units, up from 6,870 units in September, according to data released by the Land Registry on Tuesday. That was the most since July’s... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3331487/hong-kong-property-deals-rise-3-month-high-buyers-take-advantage-rate-cut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3331487/hong-kong-property-deals-rise-3-month-high-buyers-take-advantage-rate-cut?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 10:00:05 +0000 Aileen Chuang,Enoch Yiu Aileen Chuang,Enoch Yiu Hong Kong on Monday launched a five-year fintech strategy, pledging to advance artificial intelligence and tokenisation initiatives responsibly to strengthen the city’s position as a leading fintech hub. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), which unveiled the plan at the flagship Fintech Week conference, said it expected to launch more than 40 initiatives to embed AI in finance, build a financial tokenisation ecosystem, create data and payment infrastructure, and enhance sector-wide... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3331294/hong-kong-unveils-fintech-strategy-future-proof-city-ai-and-tokenisation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3331294/hong-kong-unveils-fintech-strategy-future-proof-city-ai-and-tokenisation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Nov 2025 06:08:52 +0000 Cat Nelson Cat Nelson To be entirely honest, we started calling this edition The Power Issue in passing, and then the name just stuck. And really, it fits. What else do you call a line-up that includes a basketball icon turned business juggernaut, three of Hong Kong’s most influential finance leaders and a world No 1 tennis star who is not afraid to talk a little trash? Let’s start with Shaq. Mathew Scott heads to Macau, where the sports legend is front and centre for the NBA’s return to China after a six-year pause.... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3331035/week-postmag-women-charge-shaquille-oneal-and-aryna-sabalenka?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3331035/week-postmag-women-charge-shaquille-oneal-and-aryna-sabalenka?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Nov 2025 04:45:07 +0000 Cat Nelson Cat Nelson In most global financial centres, women chief executives remain a rarity. In Hong Kong, they are increasingly part of the landscape. Among them are Amy Lo Choi-wan of UBS, Mary Huen Wai-yi of Standard Chartered and Bonnie Chan Yiting of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, members of Women Chief Executives Hong Kong (WCE) and co-organisers of Monday’s Women Chief Executives Summit in the city. Lo describes the beginnings of WCE as spontaneous, just a handful of women meeting over lunch. “We thought... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3330914/ubs-hkex-and-standard-chartereds-women-ceos-blazing-trail-and-finding-balance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3330914/ubs-hkex-and-standard-chartereds-women-ceos-blazing-trail-and-finding-balance?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Nov 2025 04:45:07 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang Ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) families are putting greater focus on legacy planning to create sustainable impact for future generations amid growing uncertainty and vast fortunes shifting to younger heirs, according to participants in a Standard Chartered event in Dubai focused on family offices. The emphasis among such families was changing from wealth preservation towards a strategic repositioning of family-office locations, governance structures, succession planning and decision-making,... https://www.scmp.com/business/money/wealth/article/3330897/ultra-rich-families-focus-driving-impact-across-generations-legacy-planning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/money/wealth/article/3330897/ultra-rich-families-focus-driving-impact-across-generations-legacy-planning?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 08:58:55 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Standard Chartered’s third-quarter net profit rose 10 per cent, as strong growth in cross-border trade loans and wealth management buffered one of Hong Kong’s three note-issuing banks from the city’s commercial property slump and helped it beat analysts’ estimates. Net profit increased to US$1.03 billion, or 44.5 US cents per share, in the quarter that ended in September, the London-based bank said in a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange on Thursday. The result, based on global accounting... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3330866/standard-chartereds-q3-profit-rises-beats-estimates-trade-loans-wealth-management?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3330866/standard-chartereds-q3-profit-rises-beats-estimates-trade-loans-wealth-management?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 06:21:40 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu In an effort to promote a more vibrant image of Hong Kong, the countryside and hiking trails will be showcased to over 300 top bankers attending next week’s Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit, which will be opened with a video address by China’s Vice-Premier He Lifeng. BlackRock co-founder Larry Fink and General Atlantic chairman and CEO William Ford will be among the first-time attendees of the fourth edition of the financial summit, which runs from November 3 to 5, according to Hong... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3330351/boardrooms-hiking-trails-hkma-courts-top-bankers-business-and-leisure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3330351/boardrooms-hiking-trails-hkma-courts-top-bankers-business-and-leisure?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 23:30:18 +0000 Julie Zhang,Cao Li Julie Zhang,Cao Li The Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is poised to serve as a major infrastructure for the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and markets beyond, as a fresh surge of Chinese companies moves to expand globally over the next decade, according to the head of the city’s Airport Authority. “We mustn’t see the HKIA just as an airport for Hong Kong,” said Fred Lam Tin-fuk, Airport Authority chairman, in a speech at the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Business Summit 2025 on Tuesday. “We very much see it as a... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3329792/hong-kong-aviation-hub-greater-bay-area-and-markets-beyond-airport-authority-chief?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3329792/hong-kong-aviation-hub-greater-bay-area-and-markets-beyond-airport-authority-chief?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 08:44:06 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has picked the second batch of use cases for testing of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), as it looks to further promote responsible technological innovation in the financial-services sector. A total of 20 banks and 14 technology partners would participate in the GenAI sandbox initiative, a project jointly conducted by the HKMA and Hong Kong Cyberport Management, according to a statement by the city’s de facto central bank. “The second cohort... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3329156/hong-kong-monetary-authority-picks-second-batch-banks-tech-firms-test-ai-finance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3329156/hong-kong-monetary-authority-picks-second-batch-banks-tech-firms-test-ai-finance?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Oct 2025 14:01:47 +0000