Hong Kong’s investment-for-residency scheme yields HK$16.5 billion over 14 months

Hong Kong’s cash-for-residency scheme has yielded an investment of around HK$16.5 billion (US$2.1 billion) from 543 applicants over the past two years, with two-thirds of their capital directed into funds and the stock market.

InvestHK, Hong Kong’s department of foreign direct investment, on Sunday released the latest figures of the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (New CIES), under which applicants must invest a minimum of HK$30 million in the permissible investment asset.

As of the end of last month, HK$6 billion, or 36 per cent of the total investment, flowed to funds authorised by the Securities and Futures Commission, an independent statutory body to regulate the city’s securities and futures markets.

Equities, accounting for 28 per cent of the investments, were the second most popular option that received HK$4.6 billion. Debt securities took up 13 per cent with HK$2.2 billion.

Since the scheme’s launch in March 2024, it has received 1,257 applications over 14 months, granting formal approval to 512 investors.

“The current applications are expected to bring an investment amount of over HK$37 billion into Hong Kong, reinforcing Hong Kong’s standing as a pre-eminent international investment hub,” the department said.

The scheme is designed to provide a fast track to residency for the wealthy and their families when they make investments of at least HK$30 million in funds, stocks, bonds or other vehicles.