The 19th Asian Financial Forum (AFF), co-organised by the Hong Kong SAR government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), will be held on January 26-27, 2026 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). This year introduces the tagline "Finance Empowering Business" and the theme "Co-creating New Horizons Amid an Evolving Landscape," bringing together over 100 global business and political leaders and financial experts to analyse geopolitical shifts and macroeconomic trends. The forum will explore financial market developments and identify investment opportunities, reinforcing Hong Kong's role as an international financial centre.
Prof Frederick Ma, HKTDC Chairman, noted the forum's growth over 18 years, expanding from a one-day agenda to two days, with over 1,000 speakers and 60,000 participants to date. He highlighted the inaugural Global Business Summit, which focuses on the deep integration of finance and the real economy, aiming to unlock high-value industries and drive innovation. The summit expands the conversation beyond finance to the core of the real economy, with the AFF Deal-making platform fostering collaborations that reinforce Hong Kong's superconnector role. More details are available on the Asian Financial Forum website.
Maggie Ng, Chairperson of the AFF Steering Committee and HSBC Hong Kong CEO, expects over 3,600 participants from 60 countries and regions. Delegates will engage with industry leaders in technology, consumer, healthcare, and finance sectors, exploring Hong Kong's latest advancements. The two-day agenda includes discussion panels on global economic outlook, CIO insights, asset and wealth management, trade finance, supply chain management, and gold exchange, addressing macroeconomic trends, investment outlook, retirement funds, and fintech.
The inaugural Global Business Summit on the second day, co-organised by the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, HKTDC, and the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises, will cover AI and technology, new consumer trends, biomedicine and healthcare, and green energy. Industry leaders will analyse the integration of finance and the real economy, focusing on opportunities for mainland enterprises to go global and helping international firms establish in the Chinese Mainland market. The meeting agenda and speaker list are available online.
AFF Deal-making, co-organised with the Hong Kong Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (HKVCA), has connected over 8,000 companies and arranged more than 10,000 meetings. This year, it adopts a hybrid model with in-person sessions on January 26-27 and online networking until January 29, enabling continued global connections. The forum also features four exhibition zones: FintechHK Start-up Salon, FutureGreen Showcase, Global Investment Zone, and InnoVenture Salon, with over 140 exhibitors including Bank of China (Hong Kong), CICC, EY, HSBC, Huatai International, and Standard Chartered Bank.
The FutureGreen Showcase highlights green development opportunities, while other zones showcase innovative business concepts, green finance solutions, and technology applications. Media registration details and further information will be announced at a press conference on January 19, 2026.
