Hong Kong banks to see wealth ‘windfall’ as fees jump: report

[HONG KONG] Hong Kong banks, led by HSBC Holdings and Bank of China (Hong Kong), could see wealth fees grow more than 20 per cent this year, driven by fund sales, brokerage income and bancassurance, according to Bloomberg Intelligence.

This jump in wealth fees is supported by optimism in the global build-out of artificial intelligence technology and favourable conditions across equities, fixed income and precious metals, wrote analysts Francis Chan and Sharnie Wong in the report. Risk appetite also remains “firm” thanks to expectations of further interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve through the year.

Rising inflows from new mainland Chinese migrants and visitors are supporting interest in higher-yielding bancassurance products, while momentum in Hong Kong initial public offerings creates tailwinds for wealth sales, the report added.

Asset inflows have surged in Hong Kong thanks to a rebound in the stock market and efforts by the government to attract wealthy individuals with tax concessions and residency plans. That’s a stark reversal from the Covid-19 period, when Hong Kong grappled with an exodus of people and mainland money moved to Singapore.

The growth in fees is likely to outpace the “low teens” consensus expectations, with “sustained momentum” at the banks, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. With an easing local rate environment, Hong Kong lenders could deliver at least double-digit growth in insurance fees and service results in 2026, it added. BLOOMBERG