Hong Kong Becomes Asia's Top Family Office Hub, Drawing Thai Tycoons
A stable legal and financial system, coupled with diverse investment opportunities, is solidifying Hong Kong's status as a premier wealth management centre
- Hong Kong has established itself as Asia's top hub for family offices by leveraging its status as a major financial center, a stable common law system, a robust regulatory framework, and diverse investment opportunities.
- The city is successfully attracting wealthy families from Southeast Asia, particularly Thai tycoons, who seek a secure and strategic base for wealth preservation, diversification, and access to investment in the Greater Bay Area.
- Active government support is a key driver, with agencies like InvestHK surpassing goals by helping over 200 family offices set up or expand through streamlined services and licensing exemptions, contributing to over 2,700 offices by 2023.
Amidst global economic and social uncertainty, a growing number of wealthy families from Southeast Asia, including Thailand, are turning to Hong Kong as a strategic base for wealth management and establishing family offices.
The city’s position as a leading international financial centre, underpinned by a robust regulatory framework and a wide range of investment options, has made it a key destination for sophisticated wealth preservation and growth strategies.
Hong Kong has maintained its century-long history as a hub for family wealth succession, solidifying its status as Asia’s top cross-border wealth and asset management centre and the second-largest globally.
This reputation is backed by a strong performance in its capital markets, where it raised HK$107.1 billion (approx. £11 billion) from initial public offerings (IPOs) in the first half of 2025—a sevenfold increase on the same period last year.
Beyond traditional financial services, the city's investment catalogue is expanding to include art, real estate, and digital assets.
Hong Kong has adopted a proactive approach to virtual assets, with 11 approved trading platforms now operating, and a new Stablecoins Bill has been passed to facilitate future innovation.
Horst Bente, the founder of ADLEGACY and grandson of the Adidas brand's founder, highlights Hong Kong’s enduring appeal to global investors.
"For me, Hong Kong has always been the gateway to Asia. The investors are here, the capital is here, and of course, the talent is here," he said.
As a core city of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), Hong Kong serves as a gateway to major technology and innovation hubs, offering Thai investors a regulated base to access markets in AI, robotics and biotech.
Under the principle of "One Country, Two Systems," Hong Kong benefits from its global connectivity while maintaining its own independent legal system and financial markets.
The city’s stable and secure environment is a major draw. Its common law system provides the legal certainty required by sophisticated investors, while the Hong Kong dollar’s peg to the US dollar since 1983 ensures exchange rate stability.
The government is actively supporting this growth. According to Deloitte, Hong Kong had over 2,700 single family offices in 2023.
Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), the government's investment promotion agency, recently surpassed its goal of helping over 200 family offices set up or expand in the city.
The agency offers streamlined, free consultation services, and single family offices not engaging in regulated activities do not require a licence.
This supportive ecosystem is proving particularly attractive to wealthy Thai families looking to diversify their assets, protect their wealth, and seize opportunities in a rapidly evolving global market.
