Blog

A Growing Economy, A Dynamic Financial Future

The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai and the streets of Central will be abuzz over the next few days. Two flagship international financial events—Hong Kong FinTech Week and the Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit—will get under way tomorrow, together with a host of related activities. Fintech professionals and investors from more than 100 economies will join the heads of the world’s leading financial institutions in Hong Kong to discuss the issues shaping global finance and technology, exchange insights and explore new investment opportunities.

Speaking at the CPA Australia Congress 2026 last week.

Hong Kong’s strengthening economy sets a positive tone for these two international financial events. This Tuesday, we will release the advance estimates of GDP for the third quarter of this year. Early indications suggest that, supported by accelerating exports growth and solid domestic demand, year-on-year economic growth in the third quarter will come in above market expectations and pick up from the second quarter. This would mark Hong Kong’s 15th consecutive quarter of economic expansion. Real GDP year-on-year growth for the first three quarters combined is also set to be the strongest for the corresponding period in five years. With the economy maintaining its strong momentum, the full-year economic growth forecast is expected to be revised upwards again.

A closer look at this phase of growth reveals that technology and innovation are the major driving forces. The global AI investment boom continues to drive strong demand for high-end electronic components and AI-related products. Hong Kong is benefiting from Asia’s deeply integrated and highly competitive production and supply chains. In September, the value of Hong Kong’s merchandise exports jumped by 64.9% year on year, marking the 20th consecutive month of double-digit growth and the sharpest single month year-on-year increase in more than four decades. In particular, the value of exports of “office machines and automatic data processing machines” surged by 183.7%.

On investment, private investment spending posted double-digit growth for three consecutive quarters, with this momentum continuing into the third quarter of this year, reflecting business confidence in the outlook. Exports of services have also been supported by continued growth in inbound tourism, active cross-boundary transport activities and vibrant financial markets. Upcoming figures for retail sales and restaurant receipts are expected to show continued moderate growth. In the labour market, steady economic growth is translating into rising real earnings for workers. Nevertheless, the external environment remains unsettled, with uncertainty surrounding geopolitical and economic developments and the monetary policy paths of major central banks, etc. We will continue to monitor market conditions closely.

To sustain this momentum, we must put the right conditions in place. SMEs are a vital part of Hong Kong’s economy: they are dynamic, adaptable and an important source of jobs. Financial innovation can give them access to more flexible funding at lower cost. By drawing on a broader range of operational data, banks can more effectively assess SMEs’ business operations and make better-informed lending decisions. This not only strengthens risk management but can also reduce collateral requirements, helping SMEs secure the working capital they need and unlocking greater market growth potential. The scale of unmet demand is considerable: the Asian Development Bank estimates that the global trade finance gap stood at US$2.5 trillion last year.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) launched the Commercial Data Interchange (CDI) four years ago to give banks fast, secure access to business data with the companies’ consent. By September this year, the platform had facilitated more than 125,000 loan applications, involving over HK$100 billion in credit. One study found that banks making greater use of the CDI charged SMEs lending rates that were, on average, around 36 basis points lower. The message is clear: better information helps businesses access finance more easily and at lower cost.

That data network is now reaching further. Twenty-one banks have joined the CargoX Pilot Programme launched in May. Through the “CargoX Connect” initiative, jointly launched by the HKMA and the Shanghai Data Bureau, an initial group of five pilot banks can access trade declaration data from the Yangtze River Delta. By early October, they had approved 10 trade finance loans worth a combined HK$180 million. Last month, Hong Kong also deepened its cooperation on cross-border trade data with the PAA Digital Trade Alliance, whose members span 15 economies, including ASEAN markets. A network that began in Hong Kong now extends to the Yangtze River Delta and is expanding into ASEAN, bringing more markets and data sources together.

Hong Kong is buzzing as the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival 2026 takes centre stage at the Central Harbourfront.

How innovation in technology and finance can unlock new sources of growth will be at the heart of this week’s two flagship financial gatherings. Hong Kong FinTech Week x StartmeupHK 2026 opens tomorrow for a five-day programme under the theme “Fintech Nexus: Bridging the World, Building the Future”. The main forum will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai, with a range of other events taking place across the city. More than 45,000 participants from over 120 economies are expected to join online and in person.

During the week, the Government and several financial regulators will unveil new measures and partnerships in areas including AI applications and governance, applications of tokenisation and payment connectivity. These initiatives will make our financial markets more efficient, improve services for citizens and SMEs, and open up fresh opportunities for fintech businesses.

The fifth edition of the Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit will also get under way tomorrow. A welcome dinner will be followed by the Summit on Tuesday and “Conversations with Global Investors” on Wednesday, jointly hosted by the HKMA, the Securities and Futures Commission and the Hong Kong Academy of Finance. The programme will bring together around 280 global financial leaders, including some 120 group chairmen and chief executives of the world’s leading financial institutions.

This year’s Summit theme is “Rethinking the Playbook”. The race to build AI computing capacity—and the investment fuelling it—will feature prominently in the discussions. With its wealth of talent, capital and information, Hong Kong is a natural meeting place for global financial decision-makers. It offers a platform for them to exchange perspectives on a fast-changing market and identify new avenues for collaboration and growth.

Beyond this week’s major financial gatherings, Hong Kong will also host high-profile events catering for the high value-added tourism market. These events complement one another, showcasing Hong Kong’s vibrancy as an international financial and business centre and a world-class destination for major events.

November 1, 2026