3,384! Why are global family offices increasingly favoring Hong Kong?

Ask AI · How can the government’s new policies drive Hong Kong’s family office ecosystem from quantity growth to quality improvement?

Source: People’s Daily Overseas Edition

“For families from around the world, Hong Kong is undoubtedly the best gateway to capture the vast opportunities in Mainland China. International capital and investors are confident in Hong Kong’s prospects.” At the Fourth “Yu Ze Xiang Jiang” Summit Forum held recently, Chen Maobo, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, said that Hong Kong’s stock market performance is strong, and the assets and wealth management business continues to grow vigorously. For ultra-high-net-worth families around the world, Hong Kong is not only a safe haven, but also a city full of business opportunities.

As an important hub for global family office investments, Hong Kong’s appeal is increasingly evident. Data show that as of the end of 2025, there were 3,384 single-family offices in Hong Kong (hereinafter referred to as family offices). Over two years, that number increased by about 680, an increase of more than 25%, fully reflecting that ultra-high-net-worth families worldwide are placing their confidence in Hong Kong’s future with real money. These family offices employ more than 10,000 full-time professionals in Hong Kong, covering fields such as financial advisers, legal services, accounting, and more. Each year, they bring about HK$12.6 billion in revenue to Hong Kong, benefiting people across all sectors of Hong Kong society.

Advantages stand out

A report recently published by the Hong Kong Monetary and Financial Research Centre, titled “Beyond Wealth: Advancing the Development of Hong Kong’s Family Office Ecosystem Through Philanthropy, Impact Investing and Risk Management,” shows that the Hong Kong family office industry has strong growth momentum. As many as 91% of respondents said they have invested in Hong Kong markets. Their confidence mainly comes from Hong Kong’s well-established regulatory framework, the free flow of capital, mature financial markets, and a tax regime that is competitive.

“Safety, stability, and maturity—these 3 elements are the cornerstone that attracts global family offices to choose Hong Kong.” Xu Zhengyu, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of the Hong Kong SAR Government, said that for ultra-high-net-worth families around the world, Hong Kong is a safe haven. It has not only policy stability, but also a mature ecosystem. The SAR Government will continue to strengthen this cornerstone and help make Hong Kong a place where inheritance and innovation intersect.

The “Hong Kong Family Office Market Research” report, commissioned by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (Invest Hong Kong) and released after research by market institutions, also confirms global family offices’ steadfast confidence in Hong Kong: families surveyed generally expect to increase their allocations to investments in Hong Kong and the Asia-Pacific. Sixty percent of respondents plan to increase their market allocation in Hong Kong over the next 3 years.

“Hong Kong is an excellent base for family offices seeking steady and diversified investments.” Huang Weilun, Deputy Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR Government, said that under “One Country, Two Systems,” Hong Kong offers an economic and business environment with policy predictability and a sound, reliable institutional framework. At the same time, Hong Kong follows the common law system, has an independent judicial system, an open economic system, free movement and circulation of funds, and free convertibility of currency, and it also has a simple tax regime. “When these advantages come together, it makes Hong Kong the ‘preferred destination.’” Huang Weilun said.

Layout for the future

With global family offices taking root in Hong Kong, its most unique advantage is direct investment in “Mainland China’s opportunities.” Mainland China has global competitiveness in areas such as new energy, high-end manufacturing, and artificial intelligence, continuously attracting global capital. The “Hong Kong Family Office Market Research” report shows that technology/media and healthcare are the top future investment areas preferred by the family offices surveyed. Popular investment themes include artificial intelligence, big data, and life and health sciences. Respondents believe that Hong Kong’s close ties with Mainland China are the biggest “selling point.” With mature financial infrastructure and rich experience in the Mainland market, Hong Kong has a cross-border synergy effect that competitors in the region find “hard to match.”

“Hong Kong has complete supporting arrangements, a well-developed rule of law, and the free flow of capital.” Sheng Zhiwen, Chairman of Lanjinsfang Group, who has set up a family office in Hong Kong, believes that thanks to the institutional advantages of “One Country, Two Systems” and the stable and open environment it brings, Hong Kong, as a “super connector” and “super value-add person” between the Mainland and global markets, has uniquely irreplaceable advantages in serving global wealth.

“In an environment where international geopolitics is increasingly complex and rapidly changing, more and more investors, capital, and talent regard Hong Kong as a rare ‘safe haven’ and an investment destination.” Chen Maobo said.

At the Fourth “Yu Ze Xiang Jiang” Summit Forum, there were many guests from the Middle East, drawing attention from the industry. Rui Xiang Capital Holdings Limited, which operates multi-family office business in Hong Kong, said that Middle Eastern capital can achieve systematic allocation to China assets through various forms in Hong Kong, including sovereign funds and family offices. This is not only “asset allocation,” but also “planning for the future.”

Enhancing quality and upgrading

The robust and steady development of Hong Kong’s family office ecosystem is inseparable from support from the SAR Government. In 2023, the SAR Government released the “Policy Declaration on Developing Family Office Business in Hong Kong,” introducing 8 measures, including providing tax concessions, launching a new “Capital Investor Admission Scheme,” establishing the Hong Kong Wealth Inheritance College, and simplifying approval procedures, laying a foundation for the development of family offices.

A spokesperson for the SAR Government recently said that Hong Kong will continue to use multiple approaches to optimize tax arrangements, implement the “new Capital Investor Admission Scheme,” and hold investment promotion activities in locations around the world, among other measures, to strongly promote the development of family offices and consolidate Hong Kong’s functions as an international center for asset and wealth management and an international risk management center.

“The family office ecosystem in Hong Kong should not only achieve ‘growth in quantity,’ but also ‘improvement in quality.’” Xu Zhengyu revealed that the family office industry in Hong Kong needs to move into the “2.0 era.” The SAR Government will promote the family office industry to be more deeply embedded in Hong Kong’s different economic and financial activities, including technology, the green industry, and social enterprises. “Let Hong Kong’s family office ecosystem not only grow in number, but also create long-term social value.” Xu Zhengyu said.

To strengthen Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s leading family office hub, the Hong Kong Monetary and Financial Research Centre’s report puts forward several recommendations, including making even fuller use of the cross-industry support network within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, promoting the development of private social investment, and strengthening the cultivation of relevant professional talent. “We hope to jointly cultivate a vibrant and sustainable family office ecosystem and inject momentum into the long-term growth of Hong Kong’s financial services industry.” Feng Yinno, Executive Director of the Research Centre and President of Hong Kong Finance College, said. (By our reporter Wang Lingxi)

《People’s Daily Overseas Edition》 (04, 2026-04-08)