HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong will launch a new channel on the stock exchange designed to expedite listings of tech companies, the latest move by the fundraising hub to boost attractiveness amid rising appetite of Chinese companies to raise funds offshore.
Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) is to establish a dedicated “technology enterprises channel”, Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary Paul Chan said on Wednesday.
The channel will facilitate specialist technology and biotechnology companies’ listings in Hong Kong, particularly those already listed in the mainland, Chan said while delivering his 2025-26 budget.
The market’s watchdog Securities and Futures Commission is working with the exchange to enable a smoother application process, he added.
The announcement comes as Chinese companies, mainly those in the tech sector, accelerate plans to raise funds offshore, tapping into a rebound in investor sentiment fuelled by hopes of Beijing’s support for private firms and the popularity of DeepSeek.
Regulators in mainland China and Hong Kong have told some of the world’s biggest investment banks to help speed up Chinese companies’ listings in the city, Reuters reported in December citing sources.
The city exchange officials urged bankers during meetings in October to identify bottlenecks in the listing application process of Chinese firms and share specific examples, sources said at that time.
The city bourse reports it’s full year earnings on Thursday.
(Reporting by Selena Li; Editing by Michael Perry)
