Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) welcomes the announcement today (Tuesday) by the National Financial Regulatory Administration (NFRA) enabling Chinese Mainland insurance funds to invest in Hong Kong exchange traded funds (ETFs) through Southbound Stock Connect.
HKEX Chief Executive Officer, Bonnie Y Chan, said: "We warmly welcome the announcement by the NFRA marking a significant development for Stock Connect, the landmark mutual market access programme between Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland. Mainland insurance funds diversifying their asset allocation through Hong Kong ETFs will boost the market's vibrancy and depth, supporting the long-term growth of the Connect programme and underscoring Hong Kong's role as superconnector between the China and the world. We thank the NFRA for their continued support, and welcome Mainland insurance institutions to use our broad product suite and risk-management tools in optimising their portfolios."
Ms Chan today joined a delegation in Beijing led by Hong Kong Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Christopher Hui, that met with Vice Minister of NFRA, Xiao Yuanqi, discussing measures to promote the mutual development of the capital markets in the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong.
Since ETFs were included in Stock Connect in 2022, trading volumes across both Northbound and Southbound channels have continued to grow, with active Southbound turnover contributing to the vibrant expansion of Hong Kong's ETF market. The average daily turnover for Southbound and Northbound ETFs for the first seven months of 2026 reached $5.8 billion and RMB5.1 billion, up 61 per cent and 86 per cent respectively, compared with the same period last year. The average daily turnover of ETFs in Hong Kong for the first seven months of 2026 reached $40.6 billion, up 22 per cent from a year earlier.
