This case study is industry research based on public data: how Hong Kong grew from a regional financial centre into the world’s largest cross-border wealth hub within a generation. Every figure is verifiable.
Results
| Metric | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-border wealth | About US$2.5 trillion | BCG Global Wealth Report 2026 |
| SFO count | 3,380+ (end-2025) | InvestHK / Deloitte |
| Growth | 9% a year 2025–2030, first globally | BCG |
| Global media coverage | 600+ reports | BCG |
| CIES threshold | HK$30m (2025) | Policy Address |
Driver 1: sustained policy support
Successive Policy Addresses prioritise family offices: InvestHK’s dedicated FamilyOfficeHK team attracts them, and the 2025 Address cut the CIES residential threshold from HK$50m to HK$30m, lowering the institutional cost of relocation.
Driver 2: the unique Greater Bay Area link
Hong Kong is the only international centre combining mainland capital access with common law — China’s wealth market of RMB 179.33 trillion (Sina Finance, 2026) routes much of its cross-border activity through Hong Kong.
Driver 3: professional-services density
Private banks, lawyers, tax advisers and family office service providers cluster in Hong Kong, giving a one-stop landing experience; a new office can be fully operational in 3–6 months.
What it means for Chinese families
Hong Kong is not the only option — Singapore’s 13O/13U attracts SEA families — but for mainland-facing families its combined connectivity is unmatched. See our comparison guide for dual-hub designs (Compare & Join guides).
References
Related Guides
Explore the Hong Kong overtakes Switzerland report and the Hong Kong vs Singapore comparison on the Institute\u2019s site, or see the FAQ.