JD Supra Hong Kong

Publisher

Law Firm

Latest documents

• Hong Kong Stock Exchange Publishes Conclusions on IPO Price Discovery and Open Market Reforms

  The Stock Exchange adopts most of its proposals to optimise IPO price discovery and open market requirements, with certain modifications based on market feedback. On 1 August 2025, The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the Stock Exchange) published its Consultation Conclusions following its December 2024 Consultation Paper on proposals to optimise IPO price discovery and open market requirements. The Stock Exchange will implement the proposals, with modifications in response to market feedback, and has launched a further consultation on ongoing public float proposals. The amendment to the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on the Stock Exchange (Listing Rules) became effective on 4 August 2025 and will apply to all issuers and all new applicants with listing documents published on or after that date, with transitional arrangements for ongoing public float requirements pending further consultation.

• APAC AI Watch Series | Hong Kong

  Asartificial intelligence continues to reshape industries, understanding the evolving regulatory landscape is more critical than ever. Our new APAC AI Watch series offers in-depth analysis of key legal developmentsacross Asia-Pacific, helping businessesanticipate compliance challengesand seize emerging opportunities. Each article will break down legislative updates, policytrends,and enforcementactionsacross the region, providing practical guidance on how businesses can navigate evolving AI regulations, mitigate risks,and refine their strategies.

• All’s Well That Ends Well for Keepwell Providers?

  No loss to issuers puts note trustees in the spotlight. The Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal (CFA) has overturned the Court of Appeal’s order that Peking University Founder Group Company Limited (PUFG), as the keepwell provider, breached the terms of the keepwell deeds and was liable to three of its offshore subsidiaries that were the issuers and a guarantor of the keepwell bonds (together, the Issuers), for the total outstanding amounts of those bonds.

• Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre Releases 2024 Annual Statistics

  The statistics show a robust demand for arbitration and reflect Hong Kong’s importance as an arbitral venue for resolving cross-border commercial disputes. On 20 February 2025, the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) released its annual statistics for 2024. The newly published statistics demonstrate an increasing use of the HKIAC as an arbitration centre. This growth reinforces Hong Kong’s position as a leading international arbitration institution, and follows on the heels of the issuance of the HKIAC’s new 2024 Administered Arbitration Rules which, as we discussed in a previous Client Alert, are aimed at further innovating the procedural framework for arbitration users.

• A Guide to Doing Business in Hong Kong – 2025

  Since establishment of the office in 1982, Hong Kong has acted as the hub around which Hogan Lovells’ regional growth and network expansion have been organised. We are also the sole Hong Kong member of the Pacific Rim Advisory Council (PRAC), a unique strategic alliance within the global legal community, consisting of over 20 major independent law firms, each with a substantial presence and expertise in the Pacific Rim region. We also have a number of Hong Kong qualified lawyers who have successfully obtained practicing licences in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (“GBA”), who can provide legal services relating to certain civil and commercial legal matters in the nine Mainland China cities within the GBA.

• Cross-border Dialogue Between Hong Kong And Mainland China on Insolvency Law

  In January 2025 in Beijing, a delegation of INSOL members led by Andrew Koo (INSOL Fellow) and John Lees (INSOL Past President) together with Hong Kong barrister Michael Lok, Alexander Tang (INSOL Fellow), and Howard Lam (INSOL Fellow), participated in a roundtable on crossborder insolvency topics with a team of prominent PRC bankruptcy experts led by Professor Li Shuguang, China University of Political Science and Law. Given the tremendous growth of the Chinese economy and overseas investments in the past few decades, corporate insolvency law in the PRC has become a priority area for legislative development and collaboration among practitioners both onshore and offshore. This ongoing dialogue between practitioners from two jurisdictions with very different legal traditions offers important opportunities for exchanging views and identifying areas of legal reform to resolve increasingly complex cross-border issues more effectively.

• Establishing a Business Entity in Hong Kong (Updated)

  ESTABLISHING A BUSINESS ENTITY IN HONG KONG - 1. Introduction - Hong Kong as an international centre for finance, commerce and trade is often considered as one of the most attractive places to do business owing to its unique advantages such as its prime location, business-friendly policies, simple tax regime, world-class infrastructure, sound legal system and robust regulatory regimes. This Asia’s world city has consistently topped various global rankings in business and economic competitiveness – more recently it ranked the 5th most competitive economy by the International Institute for Management Development in its World Competitiveness Yearbook 2024, topping the ranking in business legislation and international trade, and being in the top five positions in tax policy, international investment, basic infrastructure, finance and education.

• Key Regulatory Updates for Hong Kong Listed Companies - November/December 2024

  The updates include market consultation, consultation conclusions and various guiding materials by the HKEX, and bills for amendments to the Companies Ordinance by the Hong Kong government.

• Hong Kong Stock Exchange Publishes Conclusions on Corporate Governance Code Enhancements

  The Stock Exchange concluded to adopt the proposed amendments to the CG Code, with certain modifications based on market feedback.

• Buying and Selling Real Estate in Hong Kong (Updated)

  KEY FACTS OF REAL ESTATE ACQUISITIONS UNDER HONG KONG LAW - Introduction - Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated cities over the world. Due to historical reasons, almost all lands in Hong Kong are leasehold tenures. Over the centuries, the Government leased or granted to individuals or corporations pieces of land for use or for development. Therefore, a sale and purchase of landed property in Hong Kong is in fact a transfer or assignment of a lease. In a sale and purchase transaction, the vendor agrees to sell and the buyer agrees to purchase both the legal estate and the equitable interest of and in the landed property. This article provides a brief introduction to land law in Hong Kong and sets out a summary of the procedures of the sale and purchase of landed properties in Hong Kong.

Featured documents

• HKSE Issues Consolidated Guidance on Pre-IPO Investments

  In October 2012, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE) issued two guidance letters addressing certain major issues relating to pre-IPO investments. Guidance letter HKEx-GL43-12 (the "Consolidated Guidance Letter") consolidates various listing decisions on the general principles relating to special...

• Hong Kong Banks Pledge to Treat Customers Fairly

  Public pressure over vulnerable populations spurs banks to act - On 28 October 2013, 22 retail banks in Hong Kong launched the Treat Customers Fairly Charter (Charter) to enhance customer protection and education in the financial realm and in turn to boost customers’ confidence and trust in ...

• "Hong Kong v. New York: The Competition for Chinese Tech IPOs"

  In September 2014, Alibaba completed the largest IPO in history, raising US$25 billion in its New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) offering. In the buildup to the high-profile offering, the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (HKEx) expressed frustration over the “loss” of the IPO to the NYSE, but...

• Legal Advice Privilege – HK Court of Appeal Steers Away from Three Rivers

  On June 29, 2015, the Court of Appeal of the HKSAR handed down an important judgment relating to legal advice privilege. The Court of Appeal decided to adopt the “dominant purpose test” when considering whether legal advice privilege should attach to a document that disagrees with the...

• Technology, Media and Telecommunications Review – Hong Kong

  Hong Kong has one of the most developed telecommunications and internet services markets in the world. Its legal and regulatory system promotes competitiveness while at the same time striving to enhance and facilitate business investment. Please see full Chapter below for more information....

• Financial Services Quarterly Report - Second Quarter 2016: The Hong Kong Professional Investor Regime

  Similar to the situation in many other jurisdictions, fund managers, banks and other market participants in Hong Kong were, until recently, not required to apply the same regulations to high net worth, corporate or institutional investors as were applied to retail investors. Licensed intermediaries ...

• New guidance note on reinsurance for Hong Kong insurers

  A new guidance note on reinsurance for Hong Kong insurers (“GN17“) came into effect on 1 January 2017. GN17 contains a number of general requirements with regard to the management and monitoring of reinsurance arrangements. The most significant changes in regulation are new approval...

• SFC Proposes Baseline Cyber Security Requirements for Internet Trading

  The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (“SFC”) has issued a paper containing proposals to introduce cyber security guidelines under the Securities and Futures Ordinance (the “SFO”) applicable to internet brokers (the “Cyber Security Consultation Paper”). Comments are open through 7 July...

• Stepping In: Arbitration Can Benefit All Parties

  Arbitration can be a simpler, more effective alternative to the Labour Tribunal yet surprisingly few people are familiar with the process. It’s not for every employee, or for every dispute, but arbitration makes sense up there in the C-suite. Originally published in Human Resources, the official ...

• Financial Services Quarterly Report - First Quarter 2018: Hong Kong SFC Publishes Consultation Proposals on Public Fund Requirements

  Following an initial “soft” consultation with industry participants and relevant stakeholders, the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) launched a three-month consultation on proposed amendments to the Code on Unit Trusts and Mutual Funds (UT Code). The consultation ended on 19 March 2018....