In 2025, Hong Kong became a super springboard for regional expansion
In 2025, Hong Kong recorded 11,070 new foreign company registrations (up 11% year-on-year) and a record 5,221 start-ups, underscoring its growing pull as a capital and cross-border hub for regional scale-up.
- In 2025, Hong Kong saw an 11% year-on-year increase in registered companies from abroad and a record high of 5,221 startups, confirming its status as a business hub.
- The city's key advantages for expansion include its regulatory clarity, common law legal framework, strong intellectual property protection, and proximity to the Chinese Mainland.
- Hong Kong provides significant access to capital for expanding businesses, ranking as the world's largest IPO market by fundraising in 2025.
- Proactive government policies and a dynamic startup ecosystem create a supportive environment for regional companies, particularly from ASEAN, to scale internationally.
In 2025, a total of 11,070 companies from around the world, including Chinese Mainland enterprises registered in Hong Kong, were up 11% year-on-year.
Meanwhile, the number of start-ups hit a record high of 5,221.
The figures come from the “2025 Annual Survey of Companies in Hong Kong with Parent Companies Located outside Hong Kong” and the “2025 Startup Survey”, released by the Hong Kong government on January 26, 2026.
These numbers are not merely quantitative milestones.
They point to tangible structural momentum, driven by proactive policies, access to capital, and cross-border business expansion at both regional and global levels.
For Thai entrepreneurs, the question is no longer whether overseas expansion is possible, but where to expand next, with Hong Kong increasingly cited as a key regional launchpad.
Hong Kong: practical strengths that support business expansion
Hong Kong’s advantage lies in combining regulatory clarity, access to capital, and proximity to the Chinese Mainland market.
A common law legal framework, open banking, and a regulatory sandbox enable start-ups to develop products with agility, while opening pathways to connect with international investors, banks, and institutional partners.
At the same time, robust intellectual property protection and efficient cross-border business infrastructure allow companies to scale regionally while testing innovations within an internationally recognised environment.
What Thai businesses “really need” when expanding overseas
When entering foreign markets, many Thai business owners face challenges such as accessing international funding, understanding differing regulations, the pace of competition, and finding the right partners.
Hong Kong addresses these challenges in practical terms.
It is one of the world’s major capital markets, and in 2025, it ranked as the world’s largest IPO market by fundraising, while global IPO fundraising totalled US$158.4 billion.
For Thai brands, Thai products, start-ups, or manufacturing businesses seeking Series A funding or a pathway towards a stock market listing, Hong Kong is therefore seen as one of Asia’s most promising sources of capital, beyond the Chinese Mainland.
A clearer option for Thai entrepreneurs
Most recently, in January, Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), the Hong Kong government’s investment promotion agency, hosted the ASEAN Business Community Reception.
The event created opportunities for ASEAN business networks in Hong Kong to build new collaborations, strengthen existing partnerships, and extend business opportunities under the growing ASEAN–Hong Kong ecosystem.
With record-high new foreign company registrations, investment-friendly policies, a strong capital market, and a dynamic fintech and start-up ecosystem, Hong Kong is reinforcing its role as a key platform for Thai businesses to expand across Asia and onto the global stage.
For Thai businesses ready to scale, “Hong Kong” is a super springboard for international growth.
Interested parties can find more information about InvestHK’s support for entrepreneurs by clicking here or by emailing [email protected].
