Financial Secretary Paul Chan on Tuesday expressed confidence that Hong Kong's exchange traded-fund (ETF) market will continue to grow and reinforce the SAR's status as an international financial centre.

At a ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the Tracker Fund, Chan said the city has established itself as a leading ETF hub, offering a wide range of products and attracting many issuers.

Created during the Asian financial crisis, the Tracker Fund has grown five-fold from an initial size of over HK$33 billion to become Hong Kong's largest ETF with a market cap of over HK$150 billion.

"Over the past 25 years, along with Hong Kong and our capital market, the Tracker Fund has demonstrated incredible resilience in navigating multiple challenges," he said.

"It has earned the trust of local, mainland and international investors seeking exposure to Hang Seng Index's constituent stock. It offers investors a simple way to invest in a diversified portfolio of Hong Kong stocks, mitigating the risks of excessive concentration in a very cost-effective manner."

The finance chief added that the fund's global footprint is expanding, including listings on the Thai stock exchange and a new ETF on the Saudi stock exchange.