Hong Kong SFC Regulated Activities
The Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong licenses firms and individuals under regulated-activity types defined by the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571), together with the virtual-asset trading platform regime under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance (AMLO). Each type below links to the full list of currently-licensed firms in that activity, with counts of active corporations, Responsible Officers and licensed Representatives.
Type 1 - Dealing in securities
1615 active firms - 5214 ROs - 26462 Reps
Type 1 covers dealing in securities as defined in Schedule 5 to the Securities and Futures Ordinance. It commonly applies to securities brokers, dealers and underwriters, subject to the statutory defi...
Type 2 - Dealing in futures contracts
319 active firms - 1133 ROs - 7365 Reps
Type 2 covers dealing in futures contracts as defined in Schedule 5 to the Securities and Futures Ordinance. It commonly applies to futures brokers and dealers, subject to the statutory definitions, e...
Type 3 - Leveraged foreign exchange trading
28 active firms - 84 ROs - 376 Reps
Type 3 covers leveraged foreign exchange trading as defined in Schedule 5 to the Securities and Futures Ordinance. Whether a particular activity requires licensing depends on the statutory scope, excl...
Type 4 - Advising on securities
2323 active firms - 6059 ROs - 16653 Reps
Type 4 covers advising on securities, including certain advice, analyses and reports concerning securities. The precise licensing scope is governed by the Securities and Futures Ordinance, its exclusi...
Type 5 - Advising on futures contracts
168 active firms - 449 ROs - 952 Reps
Type 5 covers advising on futures contracts. It can apply to businesses providing futures advice or research, subject to the statutory definitions, exclusions and any conditions on the intermediary's ...
Type 6 - Advising on corporate finance
309 active firms - 1196 ROs - 6660 Reps
Type 6 covers advising on corporate finance and is associated with work such as listing, sponsor, takeover and other corporate-finance advice. Additional requirements can apply to particular functions...
Type 7 - Providing automated trading services
40 active firms - 149 ROs - 516 Reps
Type 7 covers providing automated trading services as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance, including certain electronic facilities through which transactions in securities or futures contr...
Type 8 - Securities margin financing
4 active firms - 16 ROs - 1 Reps
Type 8 covers securities margin financing, broadly the provision of financial accommodation to facilitate acquisitions or continued holdings of securities, subject to the statutory definition and excl...
Type 9 - Asset management
2499 active firms - 6126 ROs - 9277 Reps
Type 9 covers asset management, including certain discretionary management of portfolios of securities or futures contracts. Fund managers, private-equity managers and managed-account businesses may f...
Type 10 - Providing credit rating services
11 active firms - 44 ROs - 264 Reps
Type 10 covers providing credit rating services, including preparing credit ratings for dissemination to subscribers or the public, subject to the detailed statutory definition and exclusions.
Type 11 - Dealing in OTC derivative products or advising on OTC derivative products
0 active firms - 0 ROs - 0 Reps
Type 11 is defined as dealing in OTC derivative products or advising on OTC derivative products. The SFC states that this regulated activity is not yet in operation for licensing purposes, so the publ...
Type 12 - Providing client clearing services for OTC derivative transactions
0 active firms - 0 ROs - 0 Reps
Type 12 is defined as providing client clearing services for OTC derivative transactions. The SFC states that this regulated activity is not yet in operation for licensing purposes, so the public regi...
Type 13 - Providing depositary services for relevant CISs
21 active firms - 50 ROs - 200 Reps
Type 13 covers providing depositary services for relevant collective investment schemes. It generally applies to top-of-custodial-chain depositaries of SFC-authorised collective investment schemes, su...
Type 101 - Operating a virtual asset trading platform
16 active firms - 68 ROs - 60 Reps
Operating a virtual asset trading platform is licensed by the SFC under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance (AMLO) rather than the SFO. The regime commenced in June 202...