HKEX (00388) CEO Bonnie Chan stated in a blog post that the "DeepSeek moment" in January 2025 not only demonstrated China's strength in cutting-edge technology but also signaled the shift in the world's second-largest economy's growth model from traditional manufacturing to high-value-added innovation-driven industries. This trend has been further validated by mainland companies across sectors leveraging HKEX's financing platform to accelerate their global expansion strategies this year.
As of 2025, Hong Kong's IPO market has welcomed over 100 new listings (including two of the world's largest IPOs this year), raising more than HK$270 billion in total. Looking ahead to 2026, the exchange currently has over 300 listing applications under review.
Chan emphasized that while markets are cyclical and unpredictable, HKEX remains confident in Asia's long-term growth prospects. Asia's economic expansion will continue to drive regional financial market development, unlocking opportunities and attracting global capital. She noted that Asian financial markets have the potential to become the world's largest capital markets, presenting HKEX with a historic opportunity to position Hong Kong as a global financial hub.
The CEO highlighted HKEX's three strategic priorities: 1. Expanding its multi-asset ecosystem by developing products tailored for Asian investors, particularly retail and professional retail participants. The exchange will also strengthen its fixed income, currency, and commodities offerings. 2. Enhancing technology and operational infrastructure to improve trading efficiency, including potential reforms to settlement cycles and adopting AI technologies. 3. Developing emerging businesses such as data analytics, indices, digital currencies, and tokenization to facilitate capital flows between global investors and Asian opportunities.
Chan noted that half of mainland companies listed in Hong Kong now derive significant revenue from overseas operations, reflecting increasing internationalization. In 2025, HKEX has already welcomed listings from companies based in Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Singapore, Thailand, and the UAE.
The CEO concluded by reaffirming HKEX's commitment to strengthening Hong Kong's role as a super-connector between global capital and Asian growth opportunities, despite macroeconomic uncertainties.