According to the statistics released by the Companies Registry today (January 16), a total of 195,343 local companies and re-domiciled companies were newly registered in 2025. By the end of 2025, the total number of local companies and re-domiciled companies registered under the Companies Ordinance increased by 96,609 compared to 2024, reaching 1,557,103, which was an all-time high figure.      In 2025, 1,532 non-Hong Kong companies that had newly established a place of busin

Please read the full article at https://www.fstb.gov.hk/fsb/en/publication/consult/doc/VAdealing_consultation_conclusion_e.pdf

Mr Currie was convicted in 2023 and sentenced to 2 years 6 months imprisonment for defrauding investors through the collapsed peer-to-peer lending platform Collateral (UK) Ltd. He diverted funds from Collateral investors and used them for personal gain, including the purchase of a property in Spain. At a hearing at Southwark Crown Court on 9 January 2026, Mr Currie was ordered to pay £265,523.96. This amount represents the total value of assets the court determined were still

Complex ETPs are a subset of the wider ETP market and include high-risk investment strategies that can be difficult for retail consumers to understand. We assessed how firms of different sizes and business models evaluate these products, communicate key risks and monitor outcomes under the Consumer Duty. Given the complexity and risk profile of ETPs, it is essential firms make sure investors have the knowledge they need to make informed investment decisions. We found some fir

In recent years, Hong Kong Customs has noted an increasing trend in cases involving unlicensed money services provided through social media platforms. To effectively combat such illegal activities, Customs has intensified online patrols and enforcement efforts, and detected 23 cases of unlicensed money service operations and arrested 24 individuals in 2025, of which 22 cases involved the use of social media platforms. During the investigation of the unlicensed money service o

The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has obtained a disqualification order in the Court of First Instance against Mr Lo Ka Wai, a former executive director of National United Resources Holdings Limited (NUR) (Notes 1 to 3). Lo was disqualified for a period of three years from being a director, liquidator, receiver or manager of, or being involved in the management of, any listed or unlisted corporation in Hong Kong. Lo was also ordered to pay the SFC’s costs in the pro

The Court of First Instance has granted an interim injunction order in proceedings brought by the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) under section 213 of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (SFO) against seven defendants who manipulated the shares of Wan Cheng Metal Packaging Company Limited (Wan Cheng) (Note 1).  Pursuant to the Court order, three defendants are prohibited from (i) removing any of their assets which are within Hong Kong, or (ii) in any way disposing of

South Korea has announced major anti-money laundering penalties on crypto exchange Bithumb as the country continues a crackdown on defaulters. Bithumb underwent its Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) inspection in March 2025 and has now been found culpable by the authorities. According to reports from local media, the crypto exchange has now been fined heavily for violating domestic regulations. In its statement, the FIU claimed that it discovered several compliance failures a