When Alvin Kwock, co-founder of digital insurer OneDegree, took part in the inaugural Hong Kong FinTech Week in November 2016, it was held at a venue suitable for only a few hundred people. “As it was the first ever fintech event in Hong Kong, only fintech start-ups were interested, no big financial institutions paid attention,”…
Hong Kong’s de facto central bank reached out to retail banks on Friday for input on how lenders and their customers should share responsibility for losses when the customers fall victim to scams, as such cases continue to rise in the city. As part of an industry consultation process, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA)…
HSBC Holdings has taken the unusual step of getting directly involved in pushing its Hong Kong subsidiary, Hang Seng Bank, to offload portfolios of bad real estate debt, underscoring growing concerns over the city’s struggling property sector. About two months ago, the lender directed its London-based global chief corporate credit officer and the head of…
The development of fintech and the strong desire of mainland Chinese companies to go global are conducive to Chinese and international banks setting set up operations in Hong Kong, according to the head of the city’s de facto central bank. “While many international and mainland banks already use Hong Kong as a base to develop…
The development of fintech and the strong desire of mainland Chinese companies to go global are conducive to Chinese and international banks setting set up operations in Hong Kong, according to the head of the city’s de facto central bank. “While many international and mainland banks already use Hong Kong as a base to develop…
Hong Kong opened applications for stablecoin issuers at the start of August, with 77 firms applying during the month. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has repeatedly stated it only plans to license a handful of companies in the first instance. With its initial rules requiring the identity of every stablecoin user, this may favor…
A “low-rate honeymoon” for Hong Kong borrowers has come to an end with an increase in the interest rate banks use to set loan prices, a mixed blessing that drives away carry traders but threatens a property market recovery and discourages corporate borrowing, according to analysts. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority intervened 12 times in…
A “low-rate honeymoon” for Hong Kong borrowers has come to an end with an increase in the interest rate banks use to set loan prices, a mixed blessing that drives away carry traders but threatens a property market recovery and discourages corporate borrowing, according to analysts. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority intervened 12 times in…
In the second instalment of our two-part series on Hong Kong’s beleaguered property market, analysts explore why this slump is different from past downturns. The first instalment discussed how the resurgence of the city’s stock market as a venue for initial public offerings could boost office uptake and ease developers’ pain. Swiss bank UBS got…
In the second instalment of our two-part series on Hong Kong’s beleaguered property market, analysts explore why this slump is different from past downturns. The first instalment discussed how the resurgence of the city’s stock market as a venue for initial public offerings could boost office uptake and ease developers’ pain. Swiss bank UBS got…