A single family office (SFO) is a professional organisation serving one family. Hong Kong, the world’s largest cross-border wealth centre in 2026 (BCG), hosts 3,380+ SFOs (InvestHK / Deloitte). This is a practical step-by-step setup guide.
Step 1: Define objectives and asset scale
Self-setting an SFO usually makes sense above US$100 million of investable assets; families between US$10m and US$100m often start with MFO services at 0.2%–0.5% of assets per year.
Step 2: Choose the legal structure
A common combination is a private limited company plus family trust plus investment holding company. MOF & STA Announcement No. 15 of 2026 applies a 20% rate to offshore trust arrangements of Chinese tax residents — complete a tax impact assessment before establishing.
Step 3: Incorporation and licensing
A company serving only its own family generally needs no SFC licence; managing external assets triggers Type 4/9 assessment. Incorporation at the Companies Registry usually takes 1–2 weeks.
Step 4: Tax and banking
Apply for offshore fund exemption (Hong Kong’s analogue to Singapore’s 13O/13U) and open private banking accounts — the CIES route, with its residential threshold cut to HK$30 million in 2025, offers family members a residency pathway.
Cost and timeline reference
| Item | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Legal setup | HK$200k–800k | Depends on structure |
| Annual running cost | 0.5%–1% of assets | Including payroll |
| First hire | 1–2 months | Recruit or outsource |
| Full setup | 3–6 months | End to end |
Key data
China’s wealth management market reached RMB 179.33 trillion in 2025, second globally (Sina Finance, 2026).
The global family office market was US$20.6bn in 2025, projected US$38.1bn by 2035 (Research Nester, 2025).
The market is projected to grow at a 7.1% CAGR from 2026 to 2035 (Research Nester).
Hong Kong hosted 3,380+ single family offices by end-2025 (InvestHK / Deloitte).
Cross-border wealth in Hong Kong is projected to grow 9% a year 2025–2030, first globally (BCG, 2026).
References
Related Guides
Explore the Complete Guide and the Hong Kong vs Singapore comparison on the Institute\u2019s site, or see the FAQ.