【Iran Crisis】Treasury Bureau's Chen Haolian: Multiple Family Office Inquiries; 20 Offices Settled or Expanded in First 2 Months of This Year

As the global political and economic situation fluctuates, capital is seeking stable outlets. The Deputy Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Chen Hao-lian, stated that he has received inquiries from many family offices, and expects to see results within this year. In just the first two months of this year, over 20 family offices have used the Investment Promotion Agency to assist with settling in Hong Kong or expanding their businesses.

Hong Kong’s advantage as an international financial center’s “safe haven” is becoming increasingly evident. In an exclusive interview with this newspaper, he pointed out that stability, security, certainty, and predictability are the most valued qualities by long-term international capital, and are also key to Hong Kong standing out in the competition.

Hong Kong’s Strong Capital Attraction

He cited several data points reflecting the trend of international capital inflows:

• Net fund inflows: In 2025, the net capital inflow into funds registered in Hong Kong reached 356.7 billion yuan, an increase of nearly 120% year-on-year.
• Asset Under Management (AUM): As of December 2025, the AUM of funds registered in Hong Kong increased by 38.3% year-on-year to 2.28 trillion yuan.
• Professional support: Lawyers, accountants, and private banking sectors have all reported numerous inquiries from the Middle East and globally about establishing family offices in Hong Kong.

Robust IPO activity is not only a means of fundraising but also a cradle for high-net-worth individuals. Chen Hao-lian mentioned that some entrepreneurs and pre-IPO investors have become familiar with Hong Kong’s market operations during the listing process, and have chosen to establish family offices here to anchor their wealth.

He further pointed out that after companies go public and family offices settle in, the shareholders behind them often utilize Hong Kong’s efficient refinancing platforms to conduct rights issues, bond issuance, and even operate other businesses, further expanding market reach and depth. The local family office ecosystem is becoming increasingly mature, forming a strong network that can match family offices with alternative investments or impact investments, facilitating resource sharing.

To continuously enhance Hong Kong’s competitiveness, he mentioned that the government has submitted draft legislation to the Legislative Council to optimize tax incentives for funds and single family offices, including expanding definitions and incorporating digital assets, carbon credit products, private credit, and other qualifying investments to meet market needs.

Family Offices Settling in Hong Kong to Boost the Economy

While family offices may seem distant from ordinary citizens, they have a “ripple effect” on Hong Kong’s economy. Chen Hao-lian cited industry report data indicating that, as of the end of last year, there were over 3,380 family offices in Hong Kong, a growth of more than 25% over two years. They directly employ about 10,000 people, creating jobs in office leasing, professional services, and other operational expenses, generating over HKD 10 billion annually in economic benefits. Additionally, asset owners and professional service providers residing and living in Hong Kong directly stimulate the local consumption market, driving the growth of Hong Kong’s real economy.

On Tuesday (24th), the 4th Family Office Summit “Yuzé Hong Kong” was held. He stated that despite tensions in the Middle East, it has not hindered global asset owners’ willingness to come to Hong Kong. The summit is expected to attract about 300 family office decision-makers and asset owners from Europe, America, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. The goal is to provide a high-level dialogue platform to facilitate exchanges across sectors.