CSOP Asset Management held the 'Hong Kong-Korea Capital Market Forum' in Seoul, South Korea; Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan promoted Hong Kong's advantages to Korean institutional investors in all aspects.
From left to right: Ms. Ding Chen, CEO of CSOP Asset Management Limited; Mr. Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Mr. Seo Woo-seok, President of the Korea Financial Investment Association (KOFIA); Mr. Wilfred Yuen, Managing Director and Head of Markets at Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited
On the morning of July 9, 2025, CSOP Asset Management Limited (CSOP), a leading Asian ETF issuer, successfully held the "Hong Kong-Korea Capital Market Forum" in Seoul. Mr. Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, was invited to deliver a keynote speech. Over 50 institutional investors and financial institution representatives from local government pension funds, banks, insurance companies, and securities firms attended the forum. The forum delved into the latest investment trends in the region and analyzed the investment value and potential of the Hong Kong market. Hong Kong's key role as a "super connector" linking China and international markets garnered significant attention from Korean institutional investors.
In his keynote speech, Mr. Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, pointed out: "After rising 18% last year, Hong Kong stocks have accumulated a gain of about 20% this year, with trading volume significantly increasing. The average daily turnover this year has risen to over HKD 240 billion. The IPO fundraising amount in the first half of the year has exceeded HKD 100 billion, surpassing last year's total and temporarily ranking first globally. The continuous inflow of funds into Hong Kong's financial system reflects international investors' confidence in Hong Kong under the current global circumstances. As an international financial center, Hong Kong has unique advantages under the 'one country, two systems' framework, including the free flow of capital, information, talent, and goods; the implementation of a common law system; financial and commercial rules aligned with international best practices; and a diverse and inclusive international environment. Coupled with Hong Kong's rich and diverse financial product ecosystem, including exchange-traded products, these factors enable global investors to efficiently connect with mainland China and the broader Asian market. We welcome Korean investors to pay more attention to and participate in the Hong Kong stock market and look forward to deepening cooperation with Korean financial institutions and investors to create opportunities for mutual benefit."
Mr. Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Mr. Chan also noted, "Hong Kong embraces the development of digital assets, encouraging innovation while implementing appropriate regulatory frameworks to promote financial innovation, reduce transaction costs, improve transaction efficiency, and facilitate cross-border transactions and payments, thereby better serving the real economy. Both Hong Kong and Korea are actively developing digital asset ecosystems, and the two sides can foster more exchanges and cooperation."
Mr. Seo Woo-seok, President of the Korea Financial Investment Association (KOFIA), mentioned in his speech: "Over the past three years, Korean investors have traded approximately USD 3.5 billion annually in the Hong Kong stock market. As of June 17, 2025, Korean investors' net purchases of Hong Kong stocks have accumulated to USD 580 million—making Hong Kong the second-largest destination for Korean global investments (after the U.S.), clearly indicating that Korean investors view Hong Kong as Asia's most promising and opportunity-rich market."
Ms. Ding Chen, CEO of CSOP, pointed out: "Korea's technological innovation and economic vitality present strategic opportunities. In the ever-changing and uncertain global capital market landscape, only by embracing technological innovation, promoting cross-border collaboration, and implementing diversified investment strategies can we build a stable and prosperous investment outlook. For Korean investors, the Hong Kong market is an ideal choice for overseas allocation."
Ms. Ding Chen, CEO of CSOP Asset Management Limited
Key topics of the conference also included:
Expanding Overseas Allocation via Hong Kong: Korean investors are turning to ASEAN and other regional markets, leveraging Hong Kong's role as a "super connector" to seize investment opportunities in China and RMB-denominated assets;
ETF Boom and Cross-Border Strategies: Analyzing the growth drivers of the KRW 200 trillion ETF marketi and the demand for overseas-listed products such as Hong Kong-listed ETFs;
Flexible Response to Geopolitics: Mitigating risks arising from geopolitical factors in investments through Hong Kong's hub status;
Frontiers of AI and Semiconductor Development: Insights into China's tech industry development and AI investment opportunities amid global supply chain restructuring.
Hong Kong and other Asian regional markets, including Korea, are jointly embracing new opportunities, such as advancements in AI technology, the booming ETF market, and emerging market allocation trends. Earlier this year, the emergence of DeepSeek boosted global confidence in China's and the world's AI technology, a milestone that lifted the stock prices of Chinese tech companies and made the Hang Seng Tech Index a focal point for the market. As of June 30, 2025, the Hang Seng Tech Index has risen 18.7% this year, and the world's largest Hang Seng Tech Index ETF, the CSOP Hang Seng Tech Index ETF, reached a size of HKD 47.6 billion on June 24, setting a new high since its launch five years agoii. Korea, home to Samsung Electronics, a global top-tier chip supplier, will also play a key role in the AI development process. On May 28, CSOP launched the world's only pair of Samsung Electronics leveraged and inverse products in Hong Kong, attracting widespread attention in the Korean market.
Both Korea and Hong Kong, two major Asian markets, are witnessing the booming development of the ETF market. Korea's ETF market surpassed KRW 200 trillion (approximately HKD 1.15 trillion) for the first time in June 2025, with ETFs increasingly becoming a favored investment tool for Korean investorsiii. Hong Kong's ETF market size has also repeatedly hit record highs, reaching nearly HKD 600 billion as of June 30, 2025, up 13.8% from the beginning of the year, standing at a historical peakiv.
Meanwhile, against the backdrop of increasingly strong diversification trends, Asian markets such as Korea and Hong Kong are poised to benefit. In 2023, CSOP launched the world's largest Saudi Arabia ETF in Hong Kong, followed by cross-listing the fund in Shanghai and Shenzhen markets in 2024. Through its partner Albilad, the company launched the first Hong Kong ETF in Saudi Arabia in 2024, which is also the largest ETF in the Middle East. These initiatives underscore the potential of emerging markets as key components of diversified portfolios.
As an international financial center, Hong Kong has always played the role of a "super connector," closely linking China with the world. Against the backdrop of Korean companies and institutions actively expanding their global footprint and investors seeking diversified portfolios, Hong Kong will play a significant role in connecting mainland China, Hong Kong, and the Korean markets.
About CSOP
As an ETF issuer, CSOP has consistently adhered to innovation. After more than a decade of development, its assets under management have grown to become the second-largest in Hong Kong, successfully establishing a leading position in the Hong Kong ETF industry. In 2025, 5 of the top 10 most actively traded ETFs/ETPs in Hong Kong were managed by CSOP*. By building a healthy ETF ecosystem and managing 60 ETPs and 3 mutual funds in Hong Kong and Singapore, CSOP's total assets under management exceeded USD 23.3 billion (as of June 30, 2025)**.
CSOP's Single Stock Leveraged and Inverse Products Listed on the Hong Kong Exchange
CSOP's commitment to cross-border investment and partnerships remains unwavering. CSOP ETFs account for 87% of the total holdings of southbound investors in eligible ETFs under the "ETF Connect" and hold over 84% of the market share in the ETF cross-listing program***. We are also the first issuer to participate in the China-Singapore ETF Connect mechanism.
In November 2023, CSOP listed the world's largest Saudi Arabia ETF on the Hong Kong Exchange, with initial assets exceeding USD 1 billion. In October 2024, it launched the first Hong Kong stock ETF in Saudi Arabia, becoming the largest ETF in the Middle East, with initial assets exceeding USD 1.2 billion.
i Source: Korea Exchange, as of June 5, 2025
ii Source: Hong Kong Exchange, Bloomberg
iii Source: Korea Exchange, as of June 5, 2025
iv Source: Hong Kong Exchange, Bloomberg
* Source: Bloomberg, January 1, 2025, to March 31, 2025
** Source: CSOP
*** Source: Central Clearing and Settlement System (CCASS), Bloomberg, CSOP. As of June 30, 2025, among the total holdings of eligible Hong Kong-listed ETFs by southbound investors, funds with codes $CSOP HS TECH(3033.HK) and $CSOP HSI ETF(3037.HK) accounted for 87% of the assets (covering 17 eligible ETFs).
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