Overseas Issuers Turn to Hong Kong for Listings and Bond Financing

Hong Kong overseas issuers are increasingly coming from Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Central Asia as businesses diversify funding amid geopolitical uncertainty, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said.

Addressing the Accounting and Financial Reporting Council Regional Regulatory Forum 2026, Chan said shifting trade patterns, technological advances and the green transition were creating opportunities alongside higher demands for corporate accountability.

He urged accountants to maintain integrity and sound judgement when using artificial intelligence, noting that automated outputs and assumptions still require professional scrutiny.

Hong Kong recorded 121 new listings in the first 10 months of 2026, raising more than HKD400bn (USD51.3bn). The trend reinforces the city's role as a cross-border capital-raising centre.