Financial Secretary Paul Chan on Wednesday said he is cautiously optimistic about the development of Hong Kong’s capital markets in 2026.

Speaking at the 3rd Hong Kong Capital Markets Forum, the financial chief said the SAR market remained resilient and delivered a strong performance last year despite global volatility.

Chan said he believes the global environment is shifting in ways that create new and favourable opportunities for Hong Kong and it is up to the city to realise them.

“Our challenge is how to seize the moment and deliver tangible outcomes.
More specifically, that involves supporting the country's high-quality development, matching the needs of mainland companies going global, and the appetite of international investors,” he said.

“And at the same time, driving Hong Kong's own growth. This will require us to further upgrade and deepen our capital markets so that they stay competitive, resilient, and well-positioned for the next phase of growth.”

Chan pointed out that the government would work on three key areas to facilitate the financial markets.

“The first one is to strengthen competitiveness and appeal of our stock market; the second priority is to strengthen other parts of our capital markets, especially in areas of strategic importance; the third priority is to build a more vibrant offshore RMB market,” he said.

With Hong Kong’s unique advantages under the "One Country, Two Systems" principle, Chan was confident the city could capture the growth momentum and that its international financial hub status would reach new heights.